Question

What is radioactive decay ?

Answer 1

Hint:In order to answer the above question, we will be discussing the nuclear materials and one of its properties, i.e., radioactive decay.Radioactivity is the property of certain forms of matter to spontaneously emit energy and subatomic particles.It's essentially a property of individual atomic nuclei.

Complete answer:
We can define radioactive decay as follows: Radioactive decay is the spontaneous degradation of an atomic nucleus of a radioactive material that results in the release of radiation from the nucleus. The nuclide that decays in a radioactive process is referred to as a parent nuclide, while the nuclide that is formed is referred to as a daughter nuclide. This energy is released in the form of ionizing radiation.

Alpha particles, beta particles, and gamma rays are examples of ionizing radiation that can be emitted. Radioactive decay occurs in radionuclides, which are unbalanced atoms. Since there is no energy due to the presence of an unstable nucleus in the element's radioisotope, the atom particles cannot be bound. Isotopes decay constantly in order to stabilize themselves, releasing a large amount of energy in the form of radiations.We can write the formula for radioactive decay as
$N=N_0{e}^{-\lambda t}$
Where $N_0$ is the initial quantity of the material and $N$ is the remaining quantity after decay. $\lambda$ is the decay constant and $t$ is the half-life of the decaying quantity and is equal to
$t={\displaystyle \frac{\ln 2}{\lambda }}$
The time it takes for an isotope's nucleus to decay to half of its original number is known as its half-life.

Note:The periodic table's elements come in a variety of forms. Some of these types are stable, while others aren't. In nature, the most stable type of an element is usually the most common. All elements, however, have an unstable form. Unstable forms are radioactive and release ionizing radiation. Some elements, such as uranium, have no stable forms and are always radioactive.