9702 · 23.2
Radioactive decay
Unstable atomic nuclei are constantly transforming into more stable configurations, a fundamental process known as **radioactive decay**. This fascinating phenomenon involves the emission of particles or electromagnetic radiation, shaping everything from medical treatments to determining the age of ancient artefacts. Let's delve into its core characteristics and how we quantify it. This pilot aligns with **Senpai Corner** A Level notes (2025-2027) for topic **23.2**.
Need to know
What you need to know
- Radioactive decay is the spontaneous disintegration of a nucleus to form a more stable nucleus, resulting in the emission of an alpha, beta or gamma particles.
- Evidence for the random nature of radioactive decay can be seen from the fluctuations in the count rate of a Geiger-Muller counter.
- This proves that radioactive decay is both spontaneous and random.
- The average decay rate (A) is the average number of nuclei which are expected to decay per unit time.
- The decay constant is the probability that the nucleus will decay per unit time.
Explanation
Radioactive decay
- Radioactive decay is the spontaneous disintegration of a nucleus to form a more stable nucleus, resulting in the emission of an alpha, beta or gamma particles.
- Evidence for the random nature of radioactive decay can be seen from the fluctuations in the count rate of a Geiger-Muller counter.
- This proves that radioactive decay is both spontaneous and random.
- The average decay rate (A) is the average number of nuclei which are expected to decay per unit time.