Answer to Question #127072 in Physics for Susan Williams

Question

Explain what is meant by radioactive decay and the half - life of a radioactive

Answer 1

Radioactive decay is a spontaneous change in the composition (charge Z, mass number A) or the internal structure of unstable atomic nuclei by the emission of elementary particles, gamma rays and / or nuclear fragments.

The half-life is the time during which a quantum system (atomic nucleus, elementary particle, energy level, etc.) decays with a probability of 1/2. If we consider an ensemble of independent particles, then during one half-life the number of remaining particles is reduced by an average of half.