Question

An article about half-lives describes a parent isotope. What is a parent isotope?

A. The isotope that forms from the radioactive decay of a less stable isotope.
B. The isotope that forms from the radioactive decay of a more stable isotope.
C. The isotope that undergoes radioactive decay to form a less stable isotope.
D. The isotope that undergoes radioactive decay to form a more stable isotope.

I think the answer is D.

Answer 1

He's Right

Step-by-step explanation:

i got it right

Answer 2

D. The isotope that undergoes radioactive decay to form a more stable isotope.

Step-by-step explanation:

In radioactivity, isotopes of an unstable atom disintegrates/decays into more stable ones accompanied with the emissions of certain particles e.g alpha, gamma and beta particles.

In this process, the isotope of the atom that undergoes radioactive decay to form a more stable isotope is known as the PARENT ISOTOPE while the more stable isotope that arises from the decay is called the DAUGHTER ISOTOPE.

(238, 92) Uranium → (234,90) Thorium + (4,2) Helium

In the above reaction, Uranium is the parent isotope because it decays into a more stable isotope (Thorium).