Answer to Question #160190 in Atomic and Nuclear Physics for Fletcher

Question

Explain what is mearnt by the activity of a radioactive

Answer 1

The nuclei of radioactive atoms are unstable. They breakdown and change into a completely different type of atom. This is called radioactive decay. For example, carbon-14 decays to nitrogen-14 when it emits beta radiation.The activity of a source is defined as the rate at which a source of unstable nuclei decays. As this breakdown occurs, the activity of any radioactive source becomes less. The SI unit for activity is one decay per second and is given the name becquerel (Bq) in honor of the discoverer of radioactivity. That is, 1 Bq = 1 decay/s. Activity R is often expressed in other units, such as decays per minute or decays per year.