Radioactive Decay

The term radioactivity was coined by experimenters around the year 1900, who discovered that blackening of photographic plates was caused by uranium compounds, even when the plates were wrapped in black paper. Later experiments showed that there are three main types of radioactivity, and these were named alpha, beta, and gamma from the first three letters of the Greek alpabet.

The 'radio' in the term means that it is a form of radiation, nothing to do with the 'wireless' radio which was developed by Marconi.

Fossils can also be dated using methods like potassium-argon dating, uranium-lead dating, and thorium-lead dating, which are based on the decay rates of specific radioactive isotopes found in the fossils. By measuring the amount of parent and daughter isotopes present in the fossil, scientists can determine its age.

That statement is not entirely accurate. Radioactive decay can involve the emission of alpha particles, beta particles (electrons or positrons), and gamma rays. Electrons can be involved in certain types of radioactive decay processes.

Alpha

In 1896 by the French scientist Henri Becquerel and Madame Curie did not!

However,

With Henri Becquerel and her husband, Pierre Curie, Madame Curie was awarded the 1903 Nobel Prize for Physics. She was the sole winner of the 1911 Nobel Prize for Chemistry. She was the first woman to win a Nobel Prize, and she is the only woman to win the award in two different fields.

The time it takes for a radioactive atom to decay can vary significantly depending on the specific isotope. This is measured in terms of a half-life, which is the time it takes for half of the radioactive atoms in a sample to decay. Half-lives can range from fractions of a second to billions of years.

Accurate carbon dating requires specialized and extremely expensive equipment to measure the ratio of carbon 13-carbon 14. Due to this, it is not possible to do carbon dating at home unless you happen to have a mass spectrometer lying around.

After perhaps 10 or 20 times the half-life, the remaining amount of carbon-14 will be insignificant, and can't be accurately measured.

Nuclear decay rates do not vary with the conditions of the change; they are constant for a given isotope. On the other hand, chemical reaction rates can vary with conditions such as temperature, pressure, and the presence of catalysts.

35S --> 35Cl + e-

35Cl, stable

In the nucleus of molybdenum, a neutron undergoes beta decay, transforming into a proton and emitting an electron and an antineutrino. This process converts the element into technetium by increasing the atomic number by one and maintaining the same mass number.

The equation for the beta decay of 86Rb:3786Rb --> 3886Sr+ -10e

where the -10e represents a beta particle or electron.

The three types of ionizing radiation that originate during nuclear decay are alpha particles, beta particles, and gamma rays. Alpha particles are helium nuclei with a double positive charge, beta particles are high-speed electrons or positrons, and gamma rays are high-energy electromagnetic radiation.

Radioactive decay follows first-order kinetics, meaning the rate of decay is proportional to the amount of radioactive material present. This means that half-life remains constant throughout the decay process.

The length of time required for half of a sample of radioactive material to decay

The four types of nuclear decay are alpha decay, beta decay, gamma decay, and neutron decay. Alpha decay involves the emission of an alpha particle, beta decay involves the emission of beta particles (either electrons or positrons), gamma decay involves the emission of gamma rays, and neutron decay involves the emission of a neutron.

Radioactive decay of uranium-235 is a process in which the nucleus of a uranium-235 atom transforms into a more stable nucleus by emitting radiation in the form of alpha and beta particles, as well as gamma rays. This decay results in the formation of daughter isotopes and the release of energy.

The equation for the beta decay of 3H is:

13H --> 23He + -10e

where -10e represents a negative beta particle or electron.

The equation for the beta decay of 17F: 917F --> 817O+ 10e + ve

where the 10e is a positive beta particle or positron.

The equation for the beta decay of 24Na is: 1124Na --> 1224Mg + -10e

where the e is a negative beta particle or electron.

Cu decays by either negative or positive beta emission.

The equation for the negative beta decay of 64Cu is:

2964Cu --> 3064Zn + -10e

where -10e represents a negative beta particle or electron.

The equation for the positive beta decay of 64Cu is:

2964Cu --> 2864Ni + 10e

where 10e represents a positive beta particle or positron.

The only hydrogen isotope that undergoes any type of radioactive decay is tritium (hydrogen-3), it undergoes beta decay to become helium-3.

If that's not what you were asking about, I'm confused by your question.

Radioactive decay is measured as a half life and it varies enormously. REALLY enormously! The shortest half life is for artificial elements where the half life is a few millionths of a second, the longest is hydrogen which has a half life of far longer than the lifetime of the universe!

Uranium has a half life of around 4000 million years; geologists use uranium (and other elements) to calculate the age of rocks based on how much of the uranium has decayed.

Carbon dating allows archaeologists to determine the age of organic materials, such as bones or wood, by measuring the amount of radioactive carbon-14 remaining in the sample. This helps archaeologists establish the chronology of sites and artifacts and understand the timeline of human activities, civilizations, and environmental changes.

There are three beta decay modes for 40K, and so three equations.

The equation for the negative beta decay of 40K: 1940K --> 2040Ca + -10e

where the -10e represents a beta particle or electron.

The equation for the positive beta decay of 40K: 1940K --> 1840Ar+ 10e

where the 10e represents a positive beta particle or positron.

The equation for the decay of 40K by electron capture is:1940K + -10e --> 1840Ar + ve