BRAINCAKEPower Sources
Radioactive isotopes can be used as power sources for remote devices such as satellites. The radioactive source can be placed in a container which produces electricity as a result of absorbing heat. The source needs to have a high activity and a long half-life.
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Key terms in this lesson
- Activity
- The number of nuclei in a radioactive sample that disintegrate per second, measured in becquerel.
- Half-life
- The average time taken for the activity, or the number of undecayed nuclei, of a radioactive isotope to decrease to half its initial value.
More in Radioactivity
- Radiocarbon dating
- Argon dating
- Radioactive Tracers
- Thickness Monitoring and Engine Wear
- N-Z Graph
- Decay Series
- Energy Levels
- Technetium
All 25 lessons in Radioactivity · All AQA A-level Physics topics