rutherford

(rut̸hər fərd, rut̸h-)

noun

a unit for measuring radioactive decay, equal to the mass (of a given substance) required to give off one million disintegrations per second; one million becquerels: symbol, rd

  1. Rutherford, Ernest Baron Rutherford of Nelson 1871-1937; Brit. physicist, born in New Zealand
  2. Rutherford, Joseph Franklin 1869-1942; U.S. leader of Jehovah's Witnesses

See rutherford in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun Abbr. rd
A unit expressing the rate of decay of radioactive material, equal to one million disintegrations per second.

Origin:

Origin: After Ernest Rutherford

.

British chemist and physician who is credited with the discovery of nitrogen.

, Ernest. First Baron Rutherford of Nelson. 1871-1937.

New Zealand-born British physicist who classified radiation into alpha, beta, and gamma types and discovered the atomic nucleus. He won the 1908 Nobel Prize in chemistry.

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