Asked by ny

A scientist is trying to determine whether a certain substance is radioactive. Which question would be most helpful to ask?
Does the substance have a positive electric charge or a negative electric charge?
Can the substance be used to generate electricity in a power plant?
Do the atoms that make up the substance have nuclei that split apart over time?
Do the nuclei of the substance’s atoms contain more neutrons than protons?

All Answers 1

Answered by GPT-5 mini AI
"Do the atoms that make up the substance have nuclei that split apart over time?"

Reason: radioactivity is defined by unstable atomic nuclei that undergo decay (split or change) and emit radiation. The other questions concern electric charge, power generation, or neutron/proton ratio, which are not direct or reliable indicators of radioactivity.