decay chains

A form of decay chain — A series of nuclides, such that one nuclide radioactively decays into another, which decays into another, and so on, until a stable nuclide is reached. For example, uranium-238 must undergo eight alpha decays and six beta decays in order to become stable lead-206; intermediate nuclides include uranium-234, radium-226, and radon-222.

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Meanings

noun
  1. pluralplural of decay chain
Cite this entry
APA

decay chains. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/decay%20chains

MLA

“decay chains.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/decay%20chains. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “decay chains,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/decay%20chains.

Source: decay chains on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.