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Radioactivity stems from the instability of the nucleus of a given atom. Remember that in an atomic nucleus, protons and neutrons are held together with nuclear glue or binding energy (1H being the exception). Protons don't like each other to begin with. But under the most extraordinary conditions (like in a star), protons and neutrons can be forced together and fused (fusion) to create more complex nuclei. And in a supernova, elements heavier than iron (the heaviest "regular" element that a star makes during "normal" fusion) are created. In all this "creativity" and among all the products that result, some atomic nuclei that are formed aren't really happy with their arrangement. They are unstable, and at some time in the future they will spontaneously break apart. In some arrangements of nucleons (the particles that make up an atomic nucleus, the protons and neutrons), the ratio of the two types of particles, the ratio of protons to neutrons, is one that "strains" the combinational power that holds them together and other arrangements are possible. It is the number and type of nucleons that make up a nucleus that determines how stable it is. There are many stable nuclei. There are many combinations that are not possible - they will never form, they cannot form - and then there are the unstable nuclei. The different numbers of protons and neutrons that make up a nucleus make for a different "dynamic" in each atomic nucleus in which they are confined. Some are structures that will stay together, and in some of the structures formed, the nucleons can "shift" and break the structure of the nucleus, thereby allowing the nucleons to move to a lower energy level state. In radioactive decay, a shift in the nuclear structure and the release of a particle (or particles) and/or energy, allows the remaining nucleons to "rewrite" the terms and conditions of their "confinement" in the nucleus. This spontaneous transition is what radioactive decay is. The possibilities are why some nuclei are stable and some are not, and why some are more stable than others. It is impossible to say when any given unstable atom will decay, but over a large number of them, an "avarage" rate of decay can be quantified. That will allow us to know the half life of that radionuclide.
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Are all radioative elements synthetic?
No, some elements (Ac, Th, Pa, Rn, U, Th, etc.) and many other isotopes are natural elements or isotopes.
Can a natural isotope be radioactive?
Yes; some of the naturally occurring isotopes of the heaviest elements are radioactive.
Why are some isotopes rarer than others?
Some elements are rarer than others. Elements in the periodic table, up to and including iron can be produced in main sequence stars and these elements are re-distributed into space. Many of them are, therefore, relatively abundant. Elements further up the periodic table are produced in the more cataclysmic supernova explosions and so are rarer. This explains the different abundance of elements.Isotopes can be stable or can decay in fractions of a second or over thousands of years. The decay process produces isotopes of daughter elements. So the abundance of a particular isotope depends on how stable it is, how stable its parent is and on the abundance of its parent.
How are isotopes different from stable atoms?
Unstable isotopes can spontaneously undergo changes, transforming them into other isotopes of the same or of different elements. Stable isotopes do not. Some isotopes are very unstable and exist for less than a second; others can exist for billions of years but still be unstable. Many elements consist of more than one isotope. One or more of these isotopes may be unstable. In isotopes of an element, the nucleus contains different numbers of neutrons while the number of protons remains the same and determines how the atom behaves chemically. There are several types of instability (too few neutrons, too many neutrons) and several types of decay.
Do all isotopes only occur in heavier elements?
No, isotopes of light elements exist as well. For example, there are several isotopes of the lightest element, hydrogen.No, even the lightest element (hydrogen (H)) has isotopes. These are called Deuterium and Tritium.All elements have isotopes but some of them are very unstable and have disappeared in nature over time.
Does argon have isotopes?
yes, all elements have isotopes. some stable, some radioactive.
Are all transition elements are radioactive?
Not all of the transition elements are radioactive. Many of them are, and some of them have common radioactive isotopes, but some of them have no naturally occurring radioactive isotopes. Please note that all elements have synthetic radioactive isotopes, at least.
Why is it that some isotopes of an element are able to exist indefinitely?
Some isotypes are more stable than others. Decay occurs because of instability in isotopes, so stable isotopes do not undergo radioactive decay.
What are two types of beta decay for radioactive elements?
Some isotopes emit an electron on decay, others emit a positron (anti-electron).
Are all radioative elements synthetic?
No, some elements (Ac, Th, Pa, Rn, U, Th, etc.) and many other isotopes are natural elements or isotopes.
Can a natural isotope be radioactive?
Yes; some of the naturally occurring isotopes of the heaviest elements are radioactive.
Why are some isotopes rarer than others?
Some elements are rarer than others. Elements in the periodic table, up to and including iron can be produced in main sequence stars and these elements are re-distributed into space. Many of them are, therefore, relatively abundant. Elements further up the periodic table are produced in the more cataclysmic supernova explosions and so are rarer. This explains the different abundance of elements.Isotopes can be stable or can decay in fractions of a second or over thousands of years. The decay process produces isotopes of daughter elements. So the abundance of a particular isotope depends on how stable it is, how stable its parent is and on the abundance of its parent.
When atoms of the some elements differ in the number of neutrons?
isotopes
How are isotopes different from stable atoms?
Unstable isotopes can spontaneously undergo changes, transforming them into other isotopes of the same or of different elements. Stable isotopes do not. Some isotopes are very unstable and exist for less than a second; others can exist for billions of years but still be unstable. Many elements consist of more than one isotope. One or more of these isotopes may be unstable. In isotopes of an element, the nucleus contains different numbers of neutrons while the number of protons remains the same and determines how the atom behaves chemically. There are several types of instability (too few neutrons, too many neutrons) and several types of decay.
Do all isotopes only occur in heavier elements?
No, isotopes of light elements exist as well. For example, there are several isotopes of the lightest element, hydrogen.No, even the lightest element (hydrogen (H)) has isotopes. These are called Deuterium and Tritium.All elements have isotopes but some of them are very unstable and have disappeared in nature over time.
Are isotopes gases?
Not necessarily. Most if not all of the elements have multiple isotopes, so some are gasses but most are solids.
How are isotops different from regular elements?
Isotopes are atoms of the same element with different numbers of neutrons. Some elements have more than one isotope and some don't. The isotopes of an element are chemically identical, they just differ in mass. There is nothing special about any particular isotope, elements with them are just as 'regular' as the few which don't.
