radioactive decay

[ rey-dee-oh-ak-tiv di-key ]
See synonyms for radioactive decay on Thesaurus.com
nounPhysics.
  1. a radioactive process in which a nucleus undergoes spontaneous transformation into one or more different nuclei and simultaneously emits radiation, loses electrons, or undergoes fission.

Origin of radioactive decay

1
First recorded in 1960–65
  • Also called dis·in·te·gra·tion [dis-in-tuh-grey-shuhn] /dɪsˌɪn təˈgreɪ ʃən/ .

Words Nearby radioactive decay

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use radioactive decay in a sentence

  • The muon is unstable, eventually undergoing a radioactive decay into an electron.

    LRL Accelerators | Lawrence Radiation Laboratory

British Dictionary definitions for radioactive decay

radioactive decay

noun
  1. disintegration of a nucleus that occurs spontaneously or as a result of electron capture. One or more different nuclei are formed and usually particles and gamma rays are emitted: Sometimes shortened to: decay Also called: disintegration

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for radioactive decay

radioactive decay

[ rā′dē-ō-ăktĭv ]


  1. The spontaneous transformation of an unstable atomic nucleus into a lighter one, in which radiation is released in the form of alpha particles, beta particles, gamma rays, and other particles. The rate of decay of radioactive substances such as carbon 14 or uranium is measured in terms of their half-life. See also decay radioisotope.

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