Radioactive Decay (Noun)
Meaning
The spontaneous disintegration of a radioactive substance along with the emission of ionizing radiation.
Classification
Nouns denoting natural processes.
Examples
- The half-life of a radioactive isotope is the time it takes for half of the original amount of the substance to undergo radioactive decay.
- Radioactive decay is a random process, and it is impossible to predict when a particular atom will decay.
- The rate of radioactive decay is measured in becquerels, which represent the number of decays per second.
- Radioactive decay can be used to date rocks and determine the age of fossils.
- The process of radioactive decay is used in nuclear reactors to generate electricity.