How a radioactive element will decay over time?
Since this is not my area of expertise, I searched Google under the key words "radioactive decay" to get these possible sources:
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In the future, you can find the information you desire more quickly, if you use appropriate key words to do your own search. Also see http://hanlib.sou.edu/searchtools/.
A radioactive element will decay over time through a process known as radioactive decay. This decay occurs when the atomic nucleus of the element is unstable and undergoes spontaneous changes to become more stable.
There are three common types of radioactive decay: alpha decay, beta decay, and gamma decay.
1. Alpha decay: During alpha decay, an atomic nucleus emits an alpha particle, which consists of two protons and two neutrons. This causes the original element to lose two protons and two neutrons, resulting in the formation of a new element.
2. Beta decay: In beta decay, a neutron in the atomic nucleus is converted into a proton or vice versa. This is achieved by the emission of a beta particle, either an electron (beta-minus decay) or a positron (beta-plus decay). As a result, the element either gains or loses a proton, which changes its atomic number.
3. Gamma decay: Gamma decay involves the release of high-energy gamma rays from the atomic nucleus. Unlike alpha and beta decay, gamma decay does not lead to a change in the atomic number or mass of the element. Instead, it occurs alongside alpha or beta decay to release excess energy from the nucleus.
The rate at which a radioactive element decays is measured using its half-life, which is the time it takes for half of the radioactive atoms in a sample to decay. Each radioactive element has a unique half-life, ranging from fractions of a second to billions of years.
To determine how a specific radioactive element will decay over time, you can consult scientific literature or databases that provide information on the element's decay mode, half-life, and decay products.