activation analysis

American  

noun

Chemistry.

1. a method for the qualitative and quantitative determination of trace amounts of various elements by measuring the characteristic radioactive decay induced by neutron bombardment.

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Etymology

Origin of activation analysis

First recorded in 1945–50

Example Sentences

Another possible application, he says, is for a kind of imaging, using neutral activation analysis.

From Science Daily

The team adopted the well-known instrumental neutron activation analysis method, where a trace element in a chosen sample is irradiated and activated by the capture of thermal neutrons.

From Science Daily

Tests were conducted both by the State of Kentucky and by the Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Oak Ridge,Tenn. At the latter facility, Kentucky's chief medical examiner Dr. George Nichols used a technique known as neutron activation analysis to test for arsenic.

From Salon

As each element has a particular decay path, neutron activation analysis can determine the nature and amount of each element within the sample.

From Scientific American

Researchers at the National Institute for Metrology Research, Italy, and the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation checked a sample of the sphere for 65 elemental impurities using neutron activation analysis.

From Scientific American