What is the fundamental definition of a radiogenic nuclide?

A radiogenic nuclide is defined as a nuclide that is produced through the process of radioactive decay. This nuclide can be either radioactive itself, in which case it's called a radionuclide, or it can be stable.

Can you explain the first principal use of radiogenic nuclides in geology, related to dating?

The first principal use involves radiometric dating. By measuring the ratio of a radiogenic 'daughter product' to its radioactive 'parent isotope' within a geological sample, scientists can estimate the age of that sample. An example of this is uranium-lead geochronology.

How is the second principal use of radiogenic nuclides in geology related to isotopic signatures?

The second principal use involves defining an isotopic signature. This is achieved by comparing the amount of a radiogenic isotope to the amount of a non-radiogenic isotope of the same element. This technique is fundamental to isotope geochemistry, with an example being the ratio of 206Pb to 204Pb.

What characterizes naturally occurring isotopes that are entirely radiogenic?

Naturally occurring isotopes that are entirely radiogenic are also radioactive isotopes with half-lives too short to have existed since the primordial formation of elements. Consequently, they are only found as daughter products of ongoing decay processes or from cosmogenic (cosmic ray induced) processes that create them anew in nature.

Besides radioactive decay, what other natural processes can produce radiogenic nuclides?

In addition to radioactive decay, some nuclides are naturally produced by nucleogenic processes, which involve natural nuclear reactions such as neutron absorption.

How do stable isotopes relate to radiogenic production?

For stable isotopes or those that decay very slowly, a primordial fraction is always present from the initial formation of elements. However, an additional fraction of these isotopes can also be produced through radiogenic processes.

Why is lead considered a prime example of a partly radiogenic substance?

Lead is a prime example because all four of its stable isotopes (204Pb, 206Pb, 207Pb, and 208Pb) are present primordially in fixed ratios. While 204Pb is exclusively primordial, the other three isotopes (206Pb, 207Pb, and 208Pb) can also be formed as radiogenic decay products of uranium and thorium.

Which specific uranium and thorium isotopes are the precursors to the radiogenic lead isotopes?

The radiogenic isotope 206Pb is formed from the decay of 238U, 207Pb is formed from the decay of 235U, and 208Pb is formed from the decay of 232Th.

How does the presence of excess radiogenic lead isotopes help geologists?

In rocks containing uranium and thorium, the excess amounts of the three heavier lead isotopes (206Pb, 207Pb, and 208Pb) allow geologists to date the rocks. This provides an estimate of when the rock solidified and its mineralogy trapped these isotopic ratios, effectively stopping further change.

What is the primary source of argon in Earth's atmosphere, and why is it significant?

Almost all the argon found in Earth's atmosphere is radiogenic, specifically argon-40, which is produced from the radioactive decay of potassium. This is significant because primordial argon, present since Earth's formation, is primarily argon-36.

How is nitrogen-14 related to radiogenic processes and cosmic rays?

Some nitrogen-14 is radiogenic, originating from the decay of carbon-14. However, the carbon-14 itself is initially formed from nitrogen-14 through the action of cosmic rays.

What are two important elements that commonly form in bedrock through the decay of heavier elements, and are they entirely radiogenic?

Radon and helium are two important elements that form in bedrock during the decay of heavier elements. Radon is entirely radiogenic because its half-life is too short to have existed primordially. Helium, however, has both stable isotopes (Helium-3 and Helium-4) that were trapped in Earth's crust during its formation, although the global supply of helium is predominantly radiogenic.

What is the primary reason the global supply of helium is considered mainly radiogenic?

The global supply of helium is considered mainly radiogenic due to a significant enrichment of radiogenic helium-4 compared to the primordial ratio of helium-4 to helium-3. This enrichment is observed in terrestrial gas wells and the atmosphere, indicating a substantial contribution from radioactive decay.

How do extraterrestrial sources help determine the primordial ratio of helium isotopes?

Extraterrestrial sources, such as Moon rocks and meteorites, are used to determine the primordial ratio of helium-4 to helium-3. These celestial bodies are relatively free from the parental sources of helium, providing a baseline measurement of the original isotopic composition.

What defines an 'extinct radionuclide' in the context of radiogenic nuclides?

An extinct radionuclide is a nuclide that was formed in events like supernovas but has a half-life too short (typically less than 50 to 100 million years) to still exist on Earth today. While the parent nuclide is gone, its presence can be inferred from an excess of its stable daughter product.

Provide an example of an extinct radionuclide and how its existence was inferred.

Iodine-129 is an example of an extinct radionuclide. Its existence was inferred because it decays into stable xenon-129, which is found in excess relative to other xenon isotopes in meteorites. This excess indicates that primordial iodine-129 was trapped in the meteorite material shortly after its formation.

What other extinct radionuclides have been identified besides iodine-129?

Besides iodine-129, other identified extinct radionuclides include aluminium-26, inferred from excess magnesium-26 found in meteorites, and iron-60.

What does the table on radiogenic nuclides used in geology primarily list?

The table primarily lists important radiogenic isotope systems used in geology, ordered by the decreasing half-life of their radioactive parent isotopes. It includes the parent nuclide, daughter nuclide, decay constant, and half-life for each system.

Which parent nuclide has the longest half-life listed in the table, and what is its daughter nuclide?

The parent nuclide with the longest half-life listed in the table is Platinum-190 (190Pt), with a half-life of 483 gigayears. Its daughter nuclide is Osmium-186 (186Os).

What is the half-life of Potassium-40 (40K) when it decays to Argon-40 (40Ar)?

The half-life of Potassium-40 (40K) for decay to Argon-40 (40Ar) is 11.93 gigayears. It's noted that about 89% of 40K decays to Calcium-40, not Argon-40.

How long does it take for Uranium-238 (238U) to decay into Lead-206 (206Pb)?

Uranium-238 (238U) has a half-life of 4.468 gigayears for its decay chain that ultimately produces Lead-206 (206Pb).

Which parent nuclide decays into Xenon-129 (129Xe), and what is its half-life?

Iodine-129 (129I) decays into Xenon-129 (129Xe). Its half-life is approximately 16 megayears (Myr).

What is the half-life of Carbon-14 (14C), and what does it decay into?

Carbon-14 (14C) has a half-life of 5730 years and decays into Nitrogen-14 (14N).

According to the table, what is the half-life of Radium-226 (226Ra)?

Radium-226 (226Ra) has a half-life of 1600 years.

What is the relationship between Uranium-235 (235U) and Lead-207 (207Pb) in terms of decay?

Uranium-235 (235U) decays with a half-life of 0.7038 gigayears, ultimately producing Lead-207 (207Pb).

What does the double asterisk (**) next to some daughter nuclides in the table signify?

The double asterisk (**) indicates that the daughter nuclide is an ultimate decay product within a longer decay series.

What is radiogenic heating?

Radiogenic heating is the release of thermal energy that occurs as a result of radioactive decay, which is the process that produces radiogenic nuclides. This heat contributes to the internal temperature of celestial bodies like Earth.

What are the two primary sources of heat within the Earth's interior?

The two main sources of heat within the Earth's interior are primordial heat, which originates from the planet's accretion and differentiation, and radiogenic heating, generated within the mantle and crust by the decay of radioactive isotopes.

Which specific radioactive elements are the main contributors to radiogenic heating in the Earth?

The primary contributors to radiogenic heating in the Earth are the decay chains of uranium-238 and thorium-232, along with the decay of potassium-40.

Where does most of the radiogenic heating in the Earth primarily occur?

Most of the radiogenic heating in the Earth occurs within the planet's mantle and crust, where the concentrations of radioactive elements like uranium, thorium, and potassium are highest.

What related concepts are listed under 'See also' in the article?

The 'See also' section lists Geoneutrino, Radiometric dating, and Stable nuclide as related concepts to radiogenic nuclides.

What is the short description provided for a radiogenic nuclide?

The short description provided for a radiogenic nuclide is 'Nuclide produced by radioactive conversion from other nuclide'.

What are the common units used for half-life in the table of radiogenic nuclides?

The common units used for half-life in the table are Gyr (gigayear, 10^9 years), Myr (megayear, 10^6 years), and kyr (kiloyear, 10^3 years).

What is the difference between a radiogenic nuclide and a radionuclide?

A radiogenic nuclide is any nuclide produced by radioactive decay. A radionuclide is a specific type of radiogenic nuclide that is itself radioactive. A radiogenic nuclide can also be stable.

What is the significance of the decay constant in the context of radiogenic nuclides?

The decay constant (given in yr^-1) represents the probability per unit time that a nucleus will undergo radioactive decay. It is inversely related to the half-life of the nuclide and is a key parameter in dating calculations.

What does the concept of a 'primordial fraction' imply for isotopes?

A primordial fraction of an isotope refers to the amount of that isotope that was present from the very beginning of the solar system's formation and has persisted since then, either because it is stable or has an extremely long half-life.

What is the role of the 'Isotope Geology community' mentioned in relation to the table data?

The 'Isotope Geology community' is cited as the source for the current consensus values for half-life and decay constant used in the table of radiogenic isotope systems, indicating these are widely accepted scientific figures.

What is the relationship between radiogenic nuclides and the Earth's internal heat budget?

Radiogenic nuclides contribute significantly to the Earth's internal heat budget through the process of radiogenic heating. This heat generation is one of the two main sources of energy within the Earth, alongside primordial heat left over from its formation.

What is the definition of a 'nucleogenic' process mentioned in the text?

A nucleogenic process is defined as a natural nuclear reaction, other than radioactive decay, that can produce nuclides. An example given is neutron absorption.

How does the presence of excess 206Pb, 207Pb, and 208Pb in rocks help in geological dating?

The excess amounts of these lead isotopes in rocks containing uranium and thorium indicate that they were produced via radioactive decay. By measuring these excesses, geologists can estimate the age of the rock, specifically when it solidified and trapped these isotopes, effectively starting the 'clock' for dating.

What is the significance of the half-life of a parent nuclide in geological dating applications?

The half-life of a parent nuclide is critical for geological dating because it determines the timescale over which the decay process can be measured. Longer half-lives allow for dating older geological materials, while shorter half-lives are suitable for more recent events or shorter-lived extinct radionuclides.

What is the difference between Helium-3 and Helium-4 in terms of their origin as discussed in the text?

Helium-3 can be primordial or produced from tritium decay, while Helium-4 is predominantly radiogenic, formed from the decay of uranium and thorium, although a primordial component also exists. The high proportion of Helium-4 in terrestrial helium suggests a significant radiogenic contribution.

What does the term 'isotopic signature' refer to in the context of radiogenic isotopes?

An isotopic signature refers to the relative abundance of different isotopes of an element within a sample. For radiogenic isotopes, this signature is defined by comparing the amount of the radiogenic isotope to a non-radiogenic isotope of the same element, providing clues about the material's origin and history.

What is the role of the National Isotope Development Center mentioned in the external links?

The National Isotope Development Center, as mentioned in the external links, provides government supply of radionuclides, offers information on isotopes, and coordinates the production, availability, and distribution of isotopes.

What is the purpose of the 'Isotope Development & Production for Research and Applications (IDPRA)' program?

The IDPRA program, run by the U.S. Department of Energy, focuses on isotope production and the research and development related to isotope production, aiming to support various scientific and technological applications.

What is the relationship between radiogenic nuclides and the concept of a 'decay chain'?

Radiogenic nuclides are often part of a decay chain, where a parent nuclide decays into a daughter nuclide, which may then decay further into subsequent daughter nuclides, eventually leading to a stable nuclide. The decay chains of uranium and thorium are significant sources of radiogenic heating within the Earth.

How are 'extinct radionuclides' detected or inferred if they are no longer present?

Extinct radionuclides are detected or inferred by measuring an excess of their stable daughter products in geological samples, particularly meteorites. This excess indicates that the parent radionuclide existed and decayed within the sample material shortly after its formation.

What is the significance of the 'Valley of stability' and 'Island of stability' mentioned in the sidebar?

The 'Valley of stability' and 'Island of stability' are concepts from nuclear physics, mentioned in the sidebar, that describe regions where atomic nuclei exhibit greater stability. The valley represents the most stable nuclides, while islands refer to predicted areas of enhanced stability for certain types of nuclei, particularly superheavy ones.

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Definition

Born from Decay

A radiogenic nuclide is a nuclide produced by the process of radioactive decay. It can be either a radioactive nuclide (a radionuclide) or a stable nuclide. These isotopes are fundamental to understanding the Earth's composition and history.

Parent and Daughter

Radiogenic nuclides are often referred to as 'daughter products' that arise from the decay of a 'parent isotope'. The relationship between these parent and daughter isotopes is key to many scientific applications, particularly in dating geological materials.

Applications in Science

Radiometric Dating

Radiogenic nuclides are indispensable tools in geology for radiometric dating. By comparing the quantity of a radioactive parent isotope to its radiogenic daughter product within a geological sample, scientists can estimate the time elapsed since the sample solidified. This technique, known as radiometric dating, allows us to determine the age of rocks and minerals, providing a timeline for Earth's history. Prominent examples include Uranium-Lead dating.

Isotopic Signatures

The quantity of a radiogenic isotope, when compared to a non-radiogenic isotope of the same element, defines its 'isotopic signature'. This signature provides crucial information about the origin and history of geological materials. Techniques in isotope geochemistry leverage these signatures to trace geological processes, understand mantle and crustal evolution, and identify the sources of elements.

Key Examples

Lead Isotopes

Lead (Pb) is a prime example of a partly radiogenic element. While all four of its stable isotopes (²⁰⁴Pb, ²⁰⁶Pb, ²⁰⁷Pb, ²⁰⁸Pb) are primordial, the latter three are also produced radiogenically. Specifically, ²⁰⁶Pb originates from ²³⁸U decay, ²⁰⁷Pb from ²³⁵U, and ²⁰⁸Pb from ²³²Th. The excess of these isotopes in rocks containing uranium and thorium allows for precise dating of geological events.

Argon-40

Argon-40 (⁴⁰Ar) is a significant radiogenic nuclide formed from the decay of Potassium-40 (⁴⁰K). Almost all the argon found in Earth's atmosphere is radiogenic, distinguishing it from the primordial argon isotope, Argon-36 (³⁶Ar).

Helium Isotopes

Helium (He) isotopes, particularly Helium-4 (⁴He), are predominantly radiogenic, originating from the decay of heavier elements within the Earth's crust. While some primordial helium was trapped during Earth's formation, the vast majority found in gas wells and the atmosphere is produced through radioactive decay. Helium-3 (³He) is primarily primordial, though small amounts can be produced by nuclear reactions.

Radon

Radon (Rn) is entirely radiogenic. Due to its very short half-life, it cannot exist primordially and is only found as a product of the ongoing radioactive decay of heavier elements, such as uranium, within the Earth's crust.

Extinct Radionuclides

Some radionuclides, like Iodine-129 (¹²⁹I), have half-lives too short (e.g., 15.7 million years for ¹²⁹I) to survive from the primordial formation of the solar system. These are known as 'extinct radionuclides'. Although no longer present directly, their decay products (e.g., Xenon-129, ¹²⁹Xe) can be found in excess in meteorites, providing evidence of their past existence and the timing of early solar system events.

Radiogenic Nuclides in Geology

Key Isotope Systems

The study of radiogenic nuclides is central to isotope geology. Various parent-daughter isotope systems are employed for dating, each with different half-lives suitable for different geological timescales. The table below outlines some of the most significant systems used.

Parent nuclide	Daughter nuclide	Decay constant (yr⁻¹)	Half-life
¹⁹⁰Pt	¹⁸⁶Os	1.477 ×10⁻¹²	483 Gyr
¹⁴⁷Sm	¹⁴³Nd	6.54 ×10⁻¹²	106 Gyr
⁸⁷Rb	⁸⁷Sr	1.402 ×10⁻¹¹	49.44 Gyr
¹⁸⁷Re	¹⁸⁷Os	1.666 ×10⁻¹¹	41.6 Gyr
¹⁷⁶Lu	¹⁷⁶Hf	1.867 ×10⁻¹¹	37.1 Gyr
²³²Th	²⁰⁸Pb**	4.9475 ×10⁻¹¹	14.01 Gyr
⁴⁰K	⁴⁰Ar	5.81 ×10⁻¹¹	11.93 Gyr
²³⁸U	²⁰⁶Pb**	1.55125 ×10⁻¹⁰	4.468 Gyr
⁴⁰K	⁴⁰Ca	4.962 ×10⁻¹⁰	1.397 Gyr
²³⁵U	²⁰⁷Pb**	9.8485 ×10⁻¹⁰	0.7038 Gyr
¹²⁹I	¹²⁹Xe	4.3 ×10⁻⁸	16 Myr
¹⁰Be	¹⁰B	4.6 ×10⁻⁷	1.5 Myr
²⁶Al	²⁶Mg	9.9 ×10⁻⁷	0.70 Myr
³⁶Cl	³⁶Ar (98%) ³⁶S (2%)	2.24 ×10⁻⁶	310 kyr
²³⁴U	²³⁰Th	2.826 ×10⁻⁶	245.25 kyr
²³⁰Th	²²⁶Ra	9.1577 ×10⁻⁶	75.69 kyr
²³¹Pa	²²⁷Ac	2.116 ×10⁻⁵	32.76 kyr
¹⁴C	¹⁴N	1.2097 ×10⁻⁴	5730 yr
²²⁶Ra	²²²Rn	4.33 ×10⁻⁴	1600 yr

Radiogenic Heating

Earth's Internal Heat Source

The process of radioactive decay, which produces radiogenic nuclides, also releases significant amounts of heat energy. This phenomenon, known as radiogenic heating, is one of the two primary sources contributing to the Earth's internal heat budget, alongside primordial heat from planetary accretion. The decay chains of Uranium-238, Thorium-232, and Potassium-40 are particularly important contributors to this heat within the Earth's mantle and crust.

Related Concepts

Nuclear Physics and Geochemistry

Understanding radiogenic nuclides requires knowledge from several scientific disciplines. Key related areas include:

Nuclear Physics: The study of atomic nuclei, their structure, reactions, and decay processes.
Radiometric Dating: The technique that utilizes the decay rates of radioactive isotopes to determine the age of materials.
Isotope Geochemistry: The study of the abundance and distribution of isotopes in geological systems to understand their origin and processes.
Stable Nuclides: Nuclides that do not undergo radioactive decay, often used as reference points in isotopic analysis.

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References

Note: this not the half-life of 40K, but rather the half-life that would correspond to the decay constant for decay to 40Ar. About 89% of the 40K decays to 40Ca.

A full list of references for this article are available at the Radiogenic nuclide Wikipedia page

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The Genesis of Elements

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Definition ⚛️

✨ Born from Decay

⏳ Parent and Daughter

Applications in Science 🔬

🕰️ Radiometric Dating

🆔 Isotopic Signatures

Key Examples 💡

Pb Lead Isotopes

Ar Argon-40

He Helium Isotopes

Rn Radon

💀 Extinct Radionuclides

Radiogenic Nuclides in Geology 🌍

🧮 Key Isotope Systems

Radiogenic Heating 🔥

🌡️ Earth's Internal Heat Source

Related Concepts 🔗

🌌 Nuclear Physics and Geochemistry

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Dive in with Flashcard Learning!

Definition

Born from Decay

Parent and Daughter

Applications in Science

Radiometric Dating

Isotopic Signatures

Key Examples

Lead Isotopes

Argon-40

Helium Isotopes

Radon

Extinct Radionuclides

Radiogenic Nuclides in Geology

Key Isotope Systems

Radiogenic Heating

Earth's Internal Heat Source

Related Concepts

Nuclear Physics and Geochemistry

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