system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
Does the half-life of atoms change depending on the molecule they are in? So for example can the half-life of any uranium isotope be any different if it's bound in uranium fluoride or sth.?
gpt
Not meaningfully for most decay modes. Radioactive decay occurs in the nucleus which only impacts electron orbital levels on the hyperfine level and vice versa. This would be a miniscule impact as can be seen by comparing the hyperfine structure to the energy of nuclear decay. The exception to this would be the electron capture mode of decay where an electron must be available to fall into the nucleus.