In chemistry, neutron activation analysis (NAA) is a nuclear process used for
determining the concentrations of elements in a vast amount of materials. NAA allows
discrete sampling of elements as it disregards the chemical form of a sample, and focuses
solely on its nucleus. The method is based on neutron activation and therefore
requires a source of neutrons. The sample is bombarded with neutrons, causing the
elements to form radioactive isotopes. The radioactive emissions and radioactive
decay paths for each element are well known. Using this information, it is possible
to study spectra of the emissions of the radioactive sample, and determine the
concentrations of the elements within it. A particular advantage of this technique
is that it does not destroy the sample, and thus has been used for analysis of
works of art and historical artifacts. NAA can also be used to determine the activity
of a radioactive sample.
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