Time Dilation's Effect on Radioactive Decay

Sothh

Does time dilation effect radioactive decay?

For example, if I speed a radioactive atom up to near light speeds, will its decay slow?

If so, could this be used to study atoms with a very short decay time?

Doc Al

It affects all physical processes.

Sure.

Sothh

Does temperature effect time dilation? Since a "hot" atom will be moving more then a "cold" atom, with the speed difference change the decay of the atom?

bcrowell

A classic example of the original question is cosmic-ray muons, which would be unlikely to reach the earth's surface except for time dilation. An accelerator version: http://www.lightandmatter.com/html_b...ch02/ch02.html , Example 6: Large time dilation

Yes. The effect is extremely small at ordinary temperatures, but for example it's big enough to make the Mossbauer effect impossible to observe in gases:

http://www.lightandmatter.com/html_b...tml#Section1.5 , 1.5.6 The Pound-Rebka experiment

-Ben

Sothh

Thanks. That clears a lot up.

Everywhere else I have looked states that temperature does not effect radioactive decay.

bcrowell

The effect is extremely small, so that statement is an excellent approximation.