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Nuclear Chemistry - Radioactive Decay
Nuclear Chemistry - Radioactive Decay
Radioactive Decay
The discovery of radiation
In 1896 Henri Becquerel made
an important discovery.
www.epa.gov
Where does the radiation come
from?
Rutherford suggested that the radiation resulted from
the breakdown of the nucleus of an atom, resulting in
radiation being given off, and the nucleus of the atom
changing into a new element.
Two half-lives have gone by while the sample decayed from the
original C-14 concentration to 25% of that concentration.
Based on Table N, the half-life of C-14 is 5730 years, so…