Final answer:
Radioactive decay is a spontaneous, temperature-independent process that follows first-order kinetics. The rate of decay varies among isotopes but is not influenced by external conditions like temperature or activation energy.
Step-by-step explanation:
Radioactive decay is a process in which the nuclei of unstable isotopes emit radiation as they convert to more stable nuclei.
This spontaneous process is independent of factors such as temperature and is characterized by a constant rate of decay for each isotope, which is described as a first-order reaction.
It means that the decay rate is directly proportional to the number of unstable nuclei present.
For instance, Technetium-99m, used in medical imaging, has a half-life of about six hours, while Uranium-238 has a half-life of over four billion years, showcasing the variation in decay rates among different isotopes.
Considering the given options, radioactive decay is: A) temperature-independent, consistent with the nature of nuclear decay processes.
The rate of decay does not depend on activation energy, nor is the process categorized as second or zero order.
Instead, it follows first-order kinetics, meaning that radioactive decay is not dependent on the concentration of reacting species or temperature but is determined by the time it takes for half the radioactive nuclei to decay, known as the half-life.