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radioactive decay

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noun Physics.

decay(def 8).

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RELATED WORDS

fission, fusion

Nearby words

  1. radioactinium,
  2. radioactivate,
  3. radioactive,
  4. radioactive constant,
  5. radioactive dating,
  6. radioactive fallout,
  7. radioactive iodine,
  8. radioactive isotope,
  9. radioactive series,
  10. radioactive tracer

Origin of radioactive decay

First recorded in 1960–65
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
British Dictionary definitions for radioactive decay

radioactive decay

noun

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 emittedSometimes 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
Science definitions for radioactive decay

radioactive decay

[ rā′dē-ō-ăk′tĭv ]

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.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.