Is radioactivity decay reversible or irreversible?

AI Thread Summary
Radioactive decay is generally considered irreversible due to the extremely low probability of reversing the process, akin to glass shreds reforming into a window. While nuclei can theoretically be bombarded with alpha rays to absorb particles and alter their atomic number, this is not a spontaneous reversal of decay. Accelerators are used to create materials with specific isotopic compositions through such bombardment. Overall, the consensus is that no chemical or nuclear reaction is spontaneously reversible. Thus, radioactive decay remains fundamentally irreversible in practical terms.
lakshmi
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is radioactivity decay reversible or irreversible?
 
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The probability of the reverse effect is unbelievably small, such as with glass shreds becoming a window.
 
Excellent analogy Gonzolo
 
lakshmi said:
is radioactivity decay reversible or irreversible?
In a sense, yes. Nucei can be bombarded with alpha rays. The nuclei will then absorb some of the alpha particles and changes its Z number.

Accelerators often to this to produce special material, E.g. a material with a large percentage of an isotope which nomally isn't there.

Pete
 
I think there is no real chemical or nuclear reaction espontaneously reversible.
 

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