Video Transcript
Which of the following statements
about the prediction of radioactive decay of an unstable atomic nucleus is
correct? (A) The time at which an unstable
atomic nucleus will decay cannot be predicted. (B) The time at which an unstable
atomic nucleus will decay can be predicted.
Recall that an unstable atomic
nucleus can decay spontaneously. This means that even if nothing
from outside the nucleus influences the nucleus, the nucleus may still decay at any
moment, or it may not decay at that moment.
Consider an unstable nucleus that
is not being influenced by anything outside the nucleus. Whether or not this nucleus decays
at a given moment depends entirely on what is happening within the nucleus. As far as it is currently possible
to understand, there is in fact no way to tell at what time the unstable nucleus
will decay. Even if things outside an unstable
nucleus do start to influence the nucleus, as far as it is currently possible to
understand, there is still no way to tell at what time the unstable nucleus will
decay.
The answer must then be option
(A). The time at which an unstable
atomic nucleus will decay cannot be predicted.
