What does it mean to be unstable and radioactive?

What does it mean to be unstable and radioactive?

An atom is stable if the forces among the particles that makeup the nucleus are balanced. An atom is unstable (radioactive) if these forces are unbalanced; if the nucleus has an excess of internal energy. Instability of an atom’s nucleus may result from an excess of either neutrons or protons.

What is it called when something becomes radioactive?

Induced radioactivity, also called artificial radioactivity or man-made radioactivity, is the process of using radiation to make a previously stable material radioactive. Neutron activation is the main form of induced radioactivity. It occurs when an atomic nucleus captures one or more free neutrons.

What type of atoms are considered radioactive and why?

Atoms are radioactive if the protons and neutrons in the nucleus are configured in an unstable way. For low numbers of protons (Z), the number of neutrons (N) required to maintain a stable balance is roughly equal to the number of protons.

What is the difference between radioactive and reactive?

Reactive means any substance which is not in its stable form and is able to do reaction in order to get stable. Radioactivity is another type of reactivity. It is the spontaneous emission of energy from unstable atoms. As you know atoms are found in all matter.

Why are some isotopes described as stable?

Stable isotopes do not decay into other elements. In contrast, radioactive isotopes (e.g., 14C) are unstable and will decay into other elements. The chemical bonds and attractive forces of atoms with heavy stable isotopes are stronger than those in the more common, lighter isotopes of an element.

What happens when something becomes radioactive?

When the atoms of an element have extra neutrons or protons it creates extra energy in the nucleus and causes the atom to become unbalanced or unstable. Whether radioactive elements can become stable and if so, how. The unstable nucleus of radioactive atoms emit radiation. This process is called radioactive decay.

How can a person become radioactive?

Radiation cannot be spread from person to person. Small quantities of radioactive materials occur naturally in the air, drinking water, food and our own bodies. People also can come into contact with radiation through medical procedures, such as X-rays and some cancer treatments.

What elements can become radioactive?

The following radioactive elements are found naturally in the environment.

• Alpha Radiation. Alpha radiation is a type of energy released when certain radioactive elements decay or break down.
• Uranium. Uranium is a radioactive element that can be found in soil, air, water, rocks, plants and food.
• Radium.
• Radon.
• Polonium.

What is the difference between radiation and electromagnetic radiation?

The electromagnetic (EM) spectrum is the range of all types of EM radiation. Radiation is energy that travels and spreads out as it goes – the visible light that comes from a lamp in your house and the radio waves that come from a radio station are two types of electromagnetic radiation.

Which of the three kinds of radiation described is the most penetrating?

Gamma radiation
Gamma radiation is the most penetrating of the three radiations. It can easily penetrate body tissue.

Are there any elements that are always radioactive?

However, all elements have an unstable form. Unstable forms emit ionizing radiation and are radioactive. There are some elements with no stable form that are always radioactive, such as uranium. Elements that emit ionizing radiation are called radionuclides.

What kind of radiation does an unstable element emit?

Unstable forms emit ionizing radiation and are radioactive. There are some elements with no stable form that are always radioactive, such as uranium. Elements that emit ionizing radiation are called radionuclides. When it decays, a radionuclide transforms into a different atom – a decay product.

What is the difference between radiation and radioactivity?

Neutron release, alpha and beta decay are all accompanied by the release of a particle. It is the particle (or the gamma ray in gamma decay) that is the “radiation” associated with radioactivity. Radioactivity is the decay or rearragement of an atom’s nucleus.

Which is the best definition of nonradioactive waste?

Definition of nonradioactive. : not of, caused by, or exhibiting radioactivity : not radioactive. nonradioactive carbon. nonradioactive waste.