1.6 Kinetics of Nuclear Decay and Nuclear Binding Energy

Question 1

What order process is decay?

Answer 1

• Decay is always a 1st order process. The rate of decay is proportional to what you have.
• 1/2 life is constant in a 1st order process.

Question 2

What Element has the most stable nucleus?

Answer 2

• Fe has the most stable nucleus.

- It has the highest nuclear binding energy per nucleon (protons and neutrons)