yep.<br /><br />The actual physics behind how the atom decays, the rate, etc, is all quantum mechanics. You have the particles in one state: The "bound in a nucleus" state, with a particular wave-function. Then you have the other possible state: Free to roam around. Each state has a specific wave-function. The "cheap" way to calculate the probability of the transition is to multiply the two wave-functions, and integrate over the entire volume (so, if done as a sphere, you go from pole to pole, all the way around, and radius from 0 to infinity).<br /><br />To find transition rates...its a bit uglier, as you need to figure out what the perturbing potential is (i.e. a passing proton/neutron colliding etc) and a few other factors. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p align="center"><font color="#c0c0c0"><br /></font></p><p align="center"><font color="#999999"><em><font size="1">--------</font></em></font><font color="#999999"><em><font size="1">--------</font></em></font><font color="#999999"><em><font size="1">----</font></em></font><font color="#666699">SaiphMOD@gmail.com </font><font color="#999999"><em><font size="1">-------------------</font></em></font></p><p><font color="#999999"><em><font size="1">"This is my Timey Wimey Detector. Goes "bing" when there's stuff. It also fries eggs at 30 paces, wether you want it to or not actually. I've learned to stay away from hens: It's not pretty when they blow" -- </font></em></font><font size="1" color="#999999">The Tenth Doctor, "Blink"</font></p> </div>
A video made by me about space and the loneliness in the universe
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