One type of decay in the subatomic realm occurs when an existing object simply fissions into two smaller objects. In this case, the makeup of the initial particle and decay products are just moved around, as when a column breaks into pieces. One example is when a uranium nucleus breaks into thorium and helium nuclei. Decay evokes a lot of images, from jumbled piles of stone that once composed breathtaking examples of architecture to the dank smell of a damp … Continue reading What is subatomic decay?