What is radioactive decay?
Radioactive
decay is the transformation of one thing into another. To get more specific,
it involves turning the atom of one element into a different element.
An atom is composed of a protons, neutrons and electrons. The neutrons
and protons remain in the center of the atom, forming the nucleus. Whereas the
electrons, the smallest of the three particles, are found in the shells or orbitals
of the atom, around the nucleus.
Atoms belong to the same element if they have the same number of protons
(atomic number). Within the same element, atoms with the same number of protons
may have a different number of neutrons forming the nucleus, these are called isotopes.
Some isotopes of an element are radioactive because they are unstable. This means that at some point they will mutate, because they can no longer stand their structure, and turn into an atom of another element (with a different number of protons), emitting radioactive particles as the products of this transformation.
Some isotopes of an element are radioactive because they are unstable. This means that at some point they will mutate, because they can no longer stand their structure, and turn into an atom of another element (with a different number of protons), emitting radioactive particles as the products of this transformation.
Deep secrets of radioactive decay
Wait! Did you really think that was all!? You are missing the most
exciting part, there are many secrets that you don’t know about this mysterious
process…
Let’s allow Mr. Erwin Schrödinger sum up the mysterious phenomenon of radioactive decay:
· No physical law can predict when a single radioactive atom will disintegrate.
· But there is an exact exponential law of decay for a large number of them.
- This transformation is not like a Lego construction in which create a fortress out of a dog, but then you can reverse the process and recuperate your dog. This process is irreversible! You would have lost your dog forever.
- You have no
control over when your dog will mutate. NO control. The transformation will
happen in an unpredictable, spontaneous and random instant of time. It
could be happening now. Or maybe now. Or now. Or now!
- The good news is that, even if we cannot predict when our radioactive isotope will disintegrate, they keep doing it steadily – more and more atoms continue disintegrating!!!! – there are statistical laws which we can use to guess, for example, which is the probability that atoms disintegrate after one second, five hours or a million years, depending on the nature of the atoms.
Let’s allow Mr. Erwin Schrödinger sum up the mysterious phenomenon of radioactive decay:
· No physical law can predict when a single radioactive atom will disintegrate.
· But there is an exact exponential law of decay for a large number of them.
What is Life? Erwin Schrödinger, 1944.