Key idea
Radioactive activity and the becquerel
Activité : A = λN · 1 Bq = 1 désintégration
Activity depends both on how many unstable nuclei are present and on their decay constant: A = λN.
Radioactive activity and the becquerel
The key idea
Activity is the expected number of nuclear decays per unit time. Its SI unit, the becquerel, equals one decay per second.
Why it matters
Activity depends both on how many unstable nuclei are present and on their decay constant: A = λN.
A picture to remember
Key idea
Radioactive activity and the becquerel
Guided example
Radioactive activity and the becquerel
Activity depends both on how many unstable nuclei are present and on their decay constant: A = λN.
Put it into practice
Radioactive activity and the becquerel
Choose a concrete case linked to Radioactive activity and the becquerel. Write down the known information, what you are trying to find, and the units. Then state the rule, model or trend you will use. If a calculation is involved, keep the units visible at every line; if it is conceptual, state what changes and what remains fixed.
Check your answer
A strong answer contains four things: the starting situation, the variable that changes, the direction or numerical result, and one check. The check can be a unit, an order of magnitude, a limiting case or a comparison with a familiar example.