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An atom of a given isotope will undergo radioactive decay whenever it feels like it. No joke. The nucleus of a radioactive isotope is unstable. Always. But that atom has no predictable moment of instability leading immediately to the decay event. We use something called a half life to estimate how long it will take for half a given quantity of an isotope to undergo radioactive decay until half the original amount is left, but this is a statistically calculated period. No one knows how long it will take a given atom of a radioactive isotope to decay, except that those with very short half lives will pretty much disappear relatively quickly.
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When an isotope is blank it does not undergo radioactive decay?
When an isotope is stable, it does not undergo radioactive decay. Stable isotopes have a balanced number of protons and neutrons in the nucleus, which prevents them from spontaneously changing into another element over time.
What decay process will an isotope undergo if it lies above the band of stability on a plot of neutrons vs protons?
If an isotope lies above the band of stability on a plot of neutrons vs protons, it will undergo beta decay.
When an isotope is what it does not undergo radioactive decay?
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Does strontium undergo radioactive decay?
Yes, strontium can undergo radioactive decay. One common isotope of strontium, strontium-90, is a radioactive isotope that decays through beta decay. It is a byproduct of nuclear fission and can be harmful to living organisms due to its radioactive nature.
Are isotopes stable?
No. They are not. They undergo nuclear decay at a specific rate for each different isotope.
What is the decay process that polonium undergoes?
All isotopes of polonium can undergo alpha decay, a small number of isotopes can also undergo beta decay, K capture decay, or gamma decay.
What is it called when an isotope does not undergo radioactive decay?
When an isotope does not undergo radioactive decay, it is considered stable. Stable isotopes have a balanced ratio of protons and neutrons in their nuclei, which prevents them from emitting radiation over time.
How can you determine if an isotope is stable?
Isotopes are considered stable if they do not undergo radioactive decay. This can be determined by measuring the isotope's half-life, which is the time it takes for half of the atoms in a sample to decay. If the half-life is long, the isotope is considered stable.
What is the lightest element that can undergo radioactive decay and what type of decay occurs in that element?
The lightest "element" that can undergo radioactive decay is the isotope hydrogen-3, which undergoes beta decay. The lightest element with no radioactively stable isotopes is technetium, and its isotopes have different modes of decay.
What decay process will occur if an isotope lies above the band of stability on a plot of neutrons vs protons?
If an isotope lies above the band of stability on a plot of neutrons vs protons, it will undergo radioactive decay.
Why does decay chain for radioisotope U-238 eventually stop at lead?
The decay chain for U-238 stops at lead because lead-206 is a stable isotope, meaning it does not undergo further radioactive decay. Once uranium-238 undergoes a series of alpha and beta decays, it eventually reaches a stable isotope of lead, which ends the decay chain.
What does it mean if a isotope is stable?
An isotope is considered stable if it does not undergo radioactive decay over time. This means that the nucleus of the isotope is not prone to breaking down and releasing radiation. Stable isotopes have a balance of protons and neutrons that make them resistant to spontaneous changes.
