Essays on radioactive decay

How to Write a Summary of an Article? Radioactive Dating Dating techniques are procedures used by scientists to determine the age of a specimen. Seriation is the ordering of objects according to their age. James Ford — used seriation to determine the chronological order of American Indian pottery styles in the Mississippi Valley.

• Radioactive Decay, Nuclear Fission and Nuclear Fusion - Sample Essays
• Radioactive Decay | Essay Example

An example of alpha decay takes place when uranium decays into thorium by emitting an alpha particle. When this occurs the mass of the atom will not change, though the atomic number will increase by one, since there is an additional proton, an example of this is the decay carbon into the nitrogen.

Natural radioactive decay works according to the principle of half-life; this is the amount of time needed for one-half of the radioactive substance to decay. The energy of the neutron makes the intended element to divide into free neutrons and two or more smaller nuclei.

Under the extremely high temperatures and pressures within the core of stars, atoms collide at high speeds that overcome the electromagnetic repulsion of nuclei, allowing nuclear fusion. In the initial step of the procedure, two hydrogen atoms fuse to create deuterium.

Subsequently, another hydrogen atom fuses with the deuterium, creating an isotope of helium that has two protons and one neutron. In the final step, both the isotopes fuse to produce a normal helium atom and a normal hydrogen nucleus.

Radioactive Decay Essay

Elements such as lithium are made from these two elements in a range of procedures called nucleogenesis. As stars evolve, they run out of hydrogen, so they fuse helium nuclei to form other heavier elements e. The enormous luminous energy of the stars comes from nuclear fusion processes in their centres.

The other results of Lithium production are the spallation of heavier nuclei using cosmic rays. Nuclear fission can be controlled via a chain reaction where free neutrons released by each fission event can trigger more occurrences, which in turn release more neutrons and cause more fission.

To prolong a sustained controlled nuclear reaction at least one neutron released, must strike another uranium nucleus. If this ratio is less than one then the reaction will die out; if it is greater, it will grow uncontrolled an atomic explosion. Most reactors are controlled by control rods that are made of neutron-absorbent material e.

Uranium split into lanthanum and bromine nuclei The most common nuclear fuels are U and Pu. In a nuclear reactor, most fission events are generated by bombardment with a neutron. The energy of nuclear fission is released as kinetic energy of the fission products, and as gamma rays. In a nuclear reactor, the energy is converted to heat as the particles and gamma rays collide with the atoms that the reactor is made of, and its working fluid, usually water.

Nuclear fusion is when two or more elements join together to form one larger element, releasing tremendous amounts of energy in the process.

Radioactive Decay | Essay Example

An example is the fusion of two "heavy" isotopes of hydrogen deuterium: H3 into the element helium. It takes a substantial amount of energy to force nuclei to fuse, this is because all nuclei are positively charged, and nuclei strongly resist being put too close together.

Accelerated to high speeds, however, they can overcome this electromagnetic repulsion and get close enough to achieve fusion. The fusion of nuclei will normally release more energy than it took to force them together.Natural radioactive decay works according to the principle of half-life; this is the amount of time needed for one-half of the radioactive substance to decay.

In contrast, nuclear fission is the splitting of an atoms’ nucleus into smaller parts, releasing a large amount of energy in the process. Read Radioactive Decay free essay and over 88, other research documents.

Radioactive Decay. Radioactive Decay Alpha decay () is the emission of an alpha particle from an atom’s nucleus; it contains two protons /5(1).

Radioactive decay is when the isotopes are unstable they tend to discharge energy in the form of radiation. There are a total of three main types of radiation . Or take radioactive decay: Radioactive decay can be predicted very precisely.

Scientists can calculate the half-lives of decay and corroborate them through experiments. However, it is key to note that of a certain number of particles, x number will decay, but it cannot be predicted which particles will decay.

Dec 13,  · Radioactive decay is therefore maximally unpredictable (and therefore random) with regard to single events, since the theory that attempts to predict when a . - Modeling a Sample of Radioactive Decay on Material Using Dice Aim: To model the sample of radioactivity decay on material, using dice.

Method: To use dice and roll them up to the decided throw number of