[NatureNS] Radioactive decay

Date: Sun, 2 Mar 2014 20:38:09 -0400
From: Larry Bogan <larry@bogan.ca>
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David,
  Radioactive decay would not be effected by gravity since it is either a process involving the nuclear force or the weak nuclear force depending on the type. Gravity is so much weaker than both, it is unlikely to effect radioactive decay in most normal instances.

 There are situations in dense stars such as neutron stars and  where the gravitational force is strong enough to effect decay. The free neutron normally decays into a proton, electron and anti-neutrino with a half-life of 14 minutes. In a neutron star the decay does not occur because the matter has been compressed by gravity such that the neutron is not longer free but part of a huge nucleus.

There is a lot more than be gone into here.

Cheers,
Larry
  

////// === ///////
Larry Bogan 
Brooklyn Corner, Nova Scotia
<larry@bogan.ca>

On Sun, 02 Mar 2014 19:24:53 -0400
David & Alison Webster <dwebster@glinx.com> wrote:

> Dear All,                                Mar 2, 2014
>     Is the rate of radioactive decay (half life) affected by gravity; slower 
> as gravity increases ?
> 
> Yt, Dave Webster, Kentville 
> 

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