What makes the object decay faster?

The rate of decay is also determined by how wet the material is, and in general the wetter it is the faster it breaks down. In dry periods or dry climates, the organic matter becomes dessicated. Many detritivores, such as fungi and slugs, are inactive so the decomposition process becomes prolonged.

Can radioactive decay be speeded up or slow down?

Yes there is a way to speed up nuclear decay rates. The ionisation state of the specie has some effect on the decay rate.

What factors affect the rate of radioactive decay?

Electron-capture decay rates depend sensitively on the density of atomic electrons within the nucleus. Thus, environmental factors such as pressure, chemical form, magnetic fields, etc. that can alter electron densities, may affect electron-capture decay rates.

Can you speed up carbon decay?

Radioactive decay cannot be speeded up or slowed down. Objects of a known age can be radiocarbon dated and the radiocarbon date matches the known age.

What is radioactive decay easy definition?

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.

Is there a way to speed up nuclear decay rates?

Yes there is a way to speed up nuclear decay rates. The ionisation state of the specie has some effect on the decay rate. http://link.aps.org/doi/10.1103/PhysRevLett.77.5190. Also neutrino flux has some effect.

Is it possible to change the half-life of a radioactive substance?

The half-life of a radioactive material can be changed using time dilation effects. According to relativity, time itself can be slowed down. Everything that experiences time can therefore be given a longer effective lifetime if time is dilated. This can be done in two ways.

How does ionization affect the rate of radioactive decay?

Fully ionizing this normally non-radioactive isotope gives it half-life of just 47 days. I’ll claim that’s an infinite increase in rate. But all of these are either very weak effects, or they are very special cases with extreme ionization. Otherwise, external effects do not alter radioactive decay rates.

Can radioactive waste be treated with gamma rays?

Currently the cost of treating radioactive waste in this way would be prohibitive. You can trigger decay of certain nuclei with gamma rays, just like you can stimulate emission of photons from excited atoms with incoming radiation. You can even make a bomb if that is your kind of thing.