Radioactive Decay Schemes

• The Rate of decay of some unstable isotopes is only d

etermined by the instability of the radioactive nucleu
s and can not be changed by external forces.
• which is the basis of isotopic age determinations invo
lving such element pairs as Rb–Sr, U–Pb, and K–Ar. Th
e first element of each of these pairs has an isotope
(or isotopes) that decays to an isotope of the second
• Each of these reactions involves a change in the ucleu
s of the parent isotope, but in each case, the way in
which this takes place is different.
• Rubidium:
• 87Rb(stable),
• 87Rb => 87Sr (88Sr,86Sr,84Sr)
• Uranium:
• 235U => 206Pb
• 238U => 207Pb
• Potassium/Kalium:
• 39K, 41K (stable)
• 40K => 40Ca / 40Ar
How nucleus change?
1. Emitting alpha particle (α), 4He
2. Emitting beta particle (β),
3. Electron capture (ec),
4. Spontaneous fission
• Rubidium to Strontium
87Rb --> 87Sr + β