Difference between revisions of "Principle Behind Mother-Daughter Relationship"

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If λ<sub>1</sub> &lt;&lt; λ<sub>2</sub>, i.e. the half-life of the daughter is much shorter than the half-life of the mother, we have:  
 
If λ<sub>1</sub> &lt;&lt; λ<sub>2</sub>, i.e. the half-life of the daughter is much shorter than the half-life of the mother, we have:  
  
[[Image:Mother-Daughter formula 2-2.jpg|center|300px]]
+
[[Image:Mother-Daughter formula 2-2.jpg|center|300px]]  
  
If the growing-in time t on the generator in (2.2) is much longer than the half-life of the daughter (T<sub>½,2</sub>), the exponent will go towards the limit of 0. This again results in the fact that the disintegration rate of the daughter equals the disintegration rate of the mother on the generator, i.e. the maximum activity that can be produced of the daughter on the generator equals the activity of the mother. Expressed in mathematical terms for (2.2):
+
If the growing-in time t on the generator in (2.2) is much longer than the half-life of the daughter (T<sub>½,2</sub>), the exponent will go towards the limit of 0. This again results in the fact that the disintegration rate of the daughter equals the disintegration rate of the mother on the generator, i.e. the maximum activity that can be produced of the daughter on the generator equals the activity of the mother. Expressed in mathematical terms for (2.2):  
  
[[Image:Mother-Daughter_conclusion.jpg|center|350px]]
+
[[Image:Mother-Daughter conclusion.jpg|center|350px]]  
  
At this situation we say that we have obtained radioactive equilibrium in the generator system. A practical equilibrium is defined to be reached when t &le; T<sub>1/2</sub> where D<sub>2</sub> &le; 0.999D<sub>1</sub>.
+
At this situation we say that we have obtained radioactive equilibrium in the generator system. A practical equilibrium is defined to be reached when t T<sub>½</sub> where D<sub>2</sub> 0.999•D<sub>1</sub>.  
  
In general, it is not practical to wait until radioactive equilibrium has been reached before utilizing the generated daughter activity in laboratory experiments. By using that λ2 = ln2/,2 and setting t = ,2 into (2.2), we obtain:<br><br>
+
In general, it is not practical to wait until radioactive equilibrium has been reached before utilizing the generated daughter activity in laboratory experiments. By using that λ<sub>2</sub> = ln 2 / T<sub>½,2</sub> and setting t = T<sub>½,2</sub> into (2.2), we obtain:<br><br>

Revision as of 14:09, 25 September 2012

A radionuclide generator, also popularly called a “cow”, is composed of a mother-daughter radionuclide relationship where the mother has a longer half-life than the daughter. The daughter is continuously produced by decay of the mother in the generator system, and the daughter can be separated (“milked”) from the generator (“cow) by chemical or physical methods. In this Exercise we are going to use one such system defined in more detail below.

From basic lectures on decay we have the following relation between a radioactive nuclide and its radioactive daughter:
Mother-Daughter formula 2-1.jpg
where the index 1 denotes the mother and index 2 the daughter.

If λ1 << λ2, i.e. the half-life of the daughter is much shorter than the half-life of the mother, we have:

Mother-Daughter formula 2-2.jpg

If the growing-in time t on the generator in (2.2) is much longer than the half-life of the daughter (T½,2), the exponent will go towards the limit of 0. This again results in the fact that the disintegration rate of the daughter equals the disintegration rate of the mother on the generator, i.e. the maximum activity that can be produced of the daughter on the generator equals the activity of the mother. Expressed in mathematical terms for (2.2):

Mother-Daughter conclusion.jpg

At this situation we say that we have obtained radioactive equilibrium in the generator system. A practical equilibrium is defined to be reached when t ≤ T½ where D2 ≤ 0.999•D1.

In general, it is not practical to wait until radioactive equilibrium has been reached before utilizing the generated daughter activity in laboratory experiments. By using that λ2 = ln 2 / T½,2 and setting t = T½,2 into (2.2), we obtain: