Question

Explain radioactive decay and radioactive isotopes.

Answer 1

When the nucleus of an atom possesses either too many or too few neutrons compared to the number of protons it becomes unstable. These are called radioactive isotopes. Unstable nuclei split up in a process called radioactive decay and emit radioactive radiation.

Many elements have isotopes of which some of which are radioactive isotopes. There is a lot of low-level natural radioactivity around us. For example, our bodies contain radioisotopes, such as Potassium – 40, which continuously emit radiation, but because the amount is very low this does not harm us. Carbon -14 is a radioactive isotope used to date organic material.