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What is Actinium Series – Definition

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The actinium series, known also as actinium cascade, is one of three classical radioactive series beginning with naturally occurring uranium-235. Radiation Dosimetry

actinium series - decay chainThe actinium series, known also as the actinium cascade, is one of three classical radioactive series beginning with naturally occurring uranium-235. This radioactive decay chain consists of unstable heavy atomic nuclei that decay through a sequence of alpha and beta decays until a stable nucleus is achieved. In case of actinium series, the stable nucleus is lead-207.

Since alpha decay represents the disintegration of a parent nucleus to a daughter through the emission of the nucleus of a helium atom (which contains four nucleons), there are only four decay series. Within each series, therefore, the mass number of the members may be expressed as four times an appropriate integer (n) plus the constant for that series. As a result, the actinium series is known as the 4n+3 series.

The total energy released from uranium-235 to lead-207, including the energy lost to neutrinos, is 46.4 MeV.

Activity of Natural Samples – Actinium Series

Actinium cascade influences radioactivity (disintegrations per second) of natural samples and natural materials, although, in this case activity of natural samples is determined primarily by uranium-238. Uranium-235, which alone constitutes 0.72% of natural uranium has half-life of 7.04×108 years (6.5 times shorter than the isotope 238) and therefore its abundance is lower than 238U(99.28%). All the descendants of uranium-235 and uranium-238 are present, at least transiently, in any natural uranium-containing sample, whether metal, compound, or mineral. For example, pure uranium-238 is weakly radioactive (proportional to its long half-life), but a uranium ore is about 13 times more radioactive than the pure uranium-238 metal because of its daughter isotopes (e.g. radon, radium etc.) it contains. Not only are unstable radium isotopes significant radioactivity emitters, but as the next stage in the decay chain they also generate radon, a heavy, inert, naturally occurring radioactive gas. Moreover the decay heat of uranium and its decay products (e.g. radon, radium etc.) contributes to heating of Earth’s core. Together with thorium and potassium-40 in the Earth’s mantle is thought that these elements are the main source of heat that keeps the Earth’s core liquid.

Types of Decay in Actinium Series

Within each radioactive series, there are two main modes of radioactive decay:

  • Alpha decay. Alpha decay represents the disintegration of a parent nucleus to a daughter through the emission of the nucleus of a helium atom. Alpha particles consist of two protons and two neutrons bound together into a particle identical to a helium nucleus. Because of its very large mass (more than 7000 times the mass of the beta particle) and its charge, it heavy ionizes material and has a very short range.
  • Beta decay. Beta decay or β decay represents the disintegration of a parent nucleus to a daughter through the emission of the beta particle. Beta particles are high-energy, high-speed electrons or positrons emitted by certain types of radioactive nuclei such as potassium-40. The beta particles have greater range of penetration than alpha particles, but still much less than gamma rays.The beta particles emitted are a form of ionizing radiation also known as beta rays. The production of beta particles is termed beta decay.
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See also:

Radioactive Series

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