Who found an empirical relationship between the half-life of alpha decay and the energy of the emitted alpha particles in 1911?

This question was previously asked in
SSC CGL 2023 Tier-I Official Paper (Held On: 21 Jul 2023 Shift 4)
View all SSC CGL Papers >
  1. Chadwick and Lawrence
  2. Fermi and Meitner
  3. Geiger and Nuttall
  4. Soddy and Aston

Answer (Detailed Solution Below)

Option 3 : Geiger and Nuttall
super-pass-live
Free
SSC CGL Tier 1 2025 Full Test - 01
100 Qs. 200 Marks 60 Mins

Detailed Solution

Download Solution PDF

The correct answer is Geiger and Nuttall.Key Points

  • Geiger and Nuttall found the empirical relationship between the half-life of alpha decay and the energy of the emitted alpha particles in 1911.
  • This relationship is known as the Geiger-Nuttall law, which states that the logarithm of the half-life of an alpha decay is proportional to the reciprocal of the square root of the energy of the alpha particle.
  • Chadwick and Lawrence discovered the neutron in 1932, which was a significant breakthrough in nuclear physics.
  • Fermi and Meitner were instrumental in the discovery of nuclear fission in 1938.
  • Soddy and Aston made important contributions to the development of the theory of isotopes.

Additional Information

  • Chadwick and Lawrence's discovery of the neutron was crucial for understanding the structure of the atomic nucleus and paved the way for the development of nuclear weapons.
    • A subatomic particle with a neutral charge and a mass somewhat larger than a proton is called a neutron.
  • Fermi and Meitner's discovery of nuclear fission was a major breakthrough that led to the development of nuclear energy and nuclear weapons.
    • Nuclear fission is the process by which an atom's nucleus breaks into lighter nuclei via a .nuclear reaction
  • Soddy and Aston's work on isotopes helped to establish the concept of atomic number and laid the foundation for modern nuclear physics.
    • Isotopes are atoms that have the same number of protons but differ in the number of neutrons.

Latest SSC CGL Updates

Last updated on Jul 17, 2025

-> This year, the Staff Selection Commission (SSC) has announced approximately 14,582 vacancies for various Group B and C posts across government departments.

-> The SSC CGL Tier 1 exam is scheduled to take place from 13th to 30th August 2025.
->  HSSC CET Admit Card 2025 has been released @hssc.gov.in

->  Aspirants should visit ssc.gov.in 2025 regularly for updates and ensure timely submission of the CGL exam form.

-> Candidates can refer to the CGL syllabus for a better understanding of the exam structure and pattern.

-> The CGL Eligibility is a bachelor’s degree in any discipline.

-> Candidates selected through the SSC CGL exam will receive an attractive salary. Learn more about the SSC CGL Salary Structure.

-> Attempt SSC CGL Free English Mock Test and SSC CGL Current Affairs Mock Test.

Hot Links: teen patti gold teen patti gold real cash teen patti all