what is radioactivity
Answers
Answer:
A radioactive atom is one that spontaneously emits energetic particles or waves (known as radiation). This radiation is emitted when an unstable (i.e. radioactive) nucleus transforms to some other nucleus or energy level. Imagine a big ball made of magnets that’s spinning really fast. Sometimes a few pieces of the magnet will shoot out and hit the wall. That’s kind of what radiation is like. As it applies to nuclear energy, many materials created during the operation of a reactor are unstable. As they decay over varying lengths of time (from microseconds to hundreds of thousands of years), they emit energetic particles or waves. The energy carried by this radiation is often sufficient to cause damage to biological cells and is therefore a health risk. Thus, radiation is the primary cause of safety concerns related to nuclear energy.
If you’re looking for math, see the math behind radioactive decay page.
DescriptionRadioactive decay is the process by which an unstable atomic nucleus loses energy by radiation. A material containing unstable nuclei is considered radioactive. Three of the most common types of decay are alpha decay, beta decay, and gamma decay, all of which involve emitting one or more particles or photons.