Title: decay chain
Long Title: IUPAC Gold Book - decay chain
DOI: 10.1351/goldbook.D01537
Status: current

Definition
A series of nuclides in which each member transforms into the next through nuclear decay until a stable nuclide has been formed. Synonymous with radioactive chain and radioactive series.

Related Terms
- nuclear decay: https://goldbook.iupac.org//terms/view/N04227
- nuclides: https://goldbook.iupac.org//terms/view/N04257
- stable: https://goldbook.iupac.org//terms/view/S05900

Source
- PAC, 1994, 66, 2513. 'Nomenclature for radioanalytical chemistry (IUPAC Recommendations 1994)' on page 2518 (https://doi.org/10.1351/pac199466122513)

Other Outputs
- html: https://goldbook.iupac.org/terms/view/D01537/html
- json: https://goldbook.iupac.org/terms/view/D01537/json
- xml: https://goldbook.iupac.org/terms/view/D01537/xml

Citation: Citation: 'decay chain' in IUPAC Compendium of Chemical Terminology, 5th ed. International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry; 2025. Online version 5.0.0, 2025. 10.1351/goldbook.D01537
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Disclaimer: The International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) is continuously reviewing and, where needed, updating terms in the Compendium of Chemical Terminology (the IUPAC Gold Book). Users of these terms are encouraged to include the version of a term with its use and to check regularly for updates to term definitions that you are using.
Accessed: 2026-04-17T20:09:13+00:00