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True or false? It is not possible to predict when a particular atom of a radioactive substance will undergo decay.

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True or false? It is not possible to predict when a particular atom of a radioactive
substance will undergo decay.

True or false? It is not possible to predict when a particular atom of a radioactive substance will undergo decay.

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QueenElite · Tutor for 8 years

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True

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The statement is true. The decay of a particular atom in a radioactive substance is a random process. While we can predict the average time it takes for half of the atoms in a sample to decay (known as the half-life), it is impossible to predict exactly when a specific atom will decay. This is due to the probabilistic nature of quantum mechanics, which governs the behavior of atomic and subatomic particles.
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