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Section 1: What is radioactivity?
Nuclear Radiation
During radioactive decay, the unstable nuclei of these isotopes emit particles, or release energy, to become stable isotopes, as Figure 1 shows.
After radioactive decay, the element changes into a different isotope of the same element or into an entirely different element.
Recall that isotopes of an element are atoms that have the same number of protons but different numbers of neutrons in their nuclei. Different elements are distinguished by having different numbers of protons.
Recall that isotopes of an element are atoms that have the same number of protons but different numbers of neutrons in their nuclei.
Different elements are distinguished by having different numbers of protons.
The released energy and matter are collectively called nuclear radiation.
Just as materials that undergo radioactive decay are changed, materials that are bombarded with nu- clear radiation are also affected.
These effects depend on the type of radiation and on the properties of the materials that nuclear radiation encounters.
(Note that the term radiation can refer to light or to energy transfer. To avoid confusion, the term nuclear radiation will be used to describe radiation associated with nuclear changes.
There are different types of nuclear radiation.
Essentially, there are four types of nuclear radiation.
Nuclear radiation can contain alpha particles, beta particles, gamma rays, or neutrons.
When a radioactive nucleus decays, the nuclear radiation leaves the nucleus.
This nuclear radiation interacts with nearby matter.
This interaction depends in part on the properties of nuclear radiation, such as charge, mass, and energy.
Alpha particles consist of protons and neutrons.
Uranium is a radioactive element that naturally occurs as three isotopes.
One of its isotopes, uranium-238, undergoes nuclear decay by emitting positively charged particles.
Ernest Rutherford, noted for discovering the nucleus,
Nuclear Radiation
During radioactive decay, the unstable nuclei of these isotopes emit particles, or release energy, to become stable isotopes, as Figure 1 shows.
After radioactive decay, the element changes into a different isotope of the same element or into an entirely different element.
Recall that isotopes of an element are atoms that have the same number of protons but different numbers of neutrons in their nuclei. Different elements are distinguished by having different numbers of protons.
Recall that isotopes of an element are atoms that have the same number of protons but different numbers of neutrons in their nuclei.
Different elements are distinguished by having different numbers of protons.
The released energy and matter are collectively called nuclear radiation.
Just as materials that undergo radioactive decay are changed, materials that are bombarded with nu- clear radiation are also affected.
These effects depend on the type of radiation and on the properties of the materials that nuclear radiation encounters.
(Note that the term radiation can refer to light or to energy transfer. To avoid confusion, the term nuclear radiation will be used to describe radiation associated with nuclear changes.
There are different types of nuclear radiation.
Essentially, there are four types of nuclear radiation.
Nuclear radiation can contain alpha particles, beta particles, gamma rays, or neutrons.
When a radioactive nucleus decays, the nuclear radiation leaves the nucleus.
This nuclear radiation interacts with nearby matter.
This interaction depends in part on the properties of nuclear radiation, such as charge, mass, and energy.
Alpha particles consist of protons and neutrons.
Uranium is a radioactive element that naturally occurs as three isotopes.
One of its isotopes, uranium-238, undergoes nuclear decay by emitting positively charged particles.
Ernest Rutherford, noted for discovering the nucleus,