Radioactive Decay
Radioactive decay is random and spontaneous.
The disintegration of an unstable nucleus cannot be predicted. Nor can it be influenced directly by e.g. heating the substance.

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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.
More in Radioactivity
- The Dangers of Radioactivity
- Background Radiation
- Radioactive Decay and Half-life
- Activity
- Decay Constant
- Radiocarbon dating
- Argon dating
- Radioactive Tracers
All 25 lessons in Radioactivity · All AQA A-level Physics topics