Radioactivity Unit Converter

What is Radioactivity?

Radioactivity is a natural phenomenon where unstable atomic nuclei spontaneously decay, emitting energy in the form of radiation. This process is measured by the rate at which these decays occur, typically expressed as the number of disintegrations or decays per unit time.

Formula and Units

The basic concept of radioactivity is expressed as:

\[A = \frac{dN}{dt}\]

Where:

• \(A\) is the activity (radioactivity)
• \(dN\) is the number of decays
• \(dt\) is the time interval

Common radioactivity units include:

• Becquerel (Bq): The SI unit, equal to one decay per second
• Curie (Ci): A traditional unit, equal to 3.7 × 10^10 decays per second
• Rutherford (Rd): Equal to 10^6 becquerels
• Disintegrations per second (dps): Equivalent to becquerels
• Disintegrations per minute (dpm): Equal to becquerels divided by 60

Calculation Steps

To convert between radioactivity units, follow these steps:

1. Identify the initial and target units
2. Use the conversion formula: \(A_{target} = A_{initial} \times \frac{ConversionFactor_{initial}}{ConversionFactor_{target}}\)
3. Apply the appropriate conversion factors
4. Calculate and round the result to the desired precision

Example and Visual Representation

Let's convert 1000 becquerels to curies:

\[1000 \text{ Bq} \times \frac{1 \text{ Ci}}{3.7 \times 10^{10} \text{ Bq}} \approx 2.70 \times 10^{-8} \text{ Ci}\]

This diagram illustrates the concept of radioactivity. The central circle represents a radioactive source, and the radiating lines show the emitted radiation. The conversion demonstrates that the rate of radioactive decay remains constant, whether measured in becquerels or curies.