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Radioactive atoms can give off several different particles. There are three different "types" of radiation, beta, gamma, and alpha. Beta decays which give off electrons/positrons as well as gamma rays (usually). Gamma emmitters are generally meta stable particles that omit a gamma ray in order to stabilize the nuclears, and their are alpha decays which eject a alpha particle (a helium nucleus). On rarer occasions radioactive particles can also be classified as neutron emitters.
Wiki User
∙ 13y ago
Annelise
Wiki User
∙ 13y agoMost uranium-238 will experience alpha decay, and in this type of radioactive decay, alpha particles will be ejected from the nucleus. This is its most common form of decay. It is also possible for uranium-238 to undergo what is called double beta decay, and in this process, a pair of electrons is emitted from the nucleus. It is possible that uranium-238 could undergo spontaneous fission, and there are a number of possible fission fragments that could appear, along with one or more neutrons, but this is most unusual.
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Elements whose atoms give off radiation are called?
Radioactive elements give off radiation. The emission of radiation occurs when an unstable atomic nucleus tries to become stable. Some examples of radioactive elements are radium, curium, nobelium, rubidium, and polonium.
The nucleus of a radioactive element does not break down and give off particles and energy?
false
Changing the number of protons in an atom would change what?
If an atom were to change the number of protons it had than it would change the atomic number and therefore become a different element. Radioactive decay is one example of this, for example, alpha decay is when a radioactive nucleus emits an alpha particle (2 protons + 2 neutrons) and in doing so, becomes a nucleus of a different element. Polonium-212 decays to Lead-208 in this way.
What do plants give living things?
Plants give living things oxygen to live.
Why does radioactive parent material break down into daughter material?
A fundamental property of radioactive material is that the atomic nucleus has an unstable configuration. The nucleus of a single atom of such material may break down at any instant, or may never break down at all, but with a large number of atoms in a collection, there is a statistical probability that half of them will break down in a given amount of time, which is known as the "half life" for that radioactive material. Exactly why this should be so is a mystery which cannot be adequately explained, but is observed and accepted as such. A deeper understanding of this phenomenon would probably give us a better insight into the true nature of the universe as a whole.
Radioactive decay is when unstable atoms?
give off nuclear radiation
How do scienistuse the rate at which radioactive elements decay on rocks?
give a irect answer ^
What information does the half-life of a radioisotope give?
It tells how long it takes for a radioactive isotope to become a daughter element.
What are unstable elements that give off energy as they decay called?
The elements described are said to be radioactive.
How did geologists know that earth and the solar system are approximately 4.6 billion years old?
It's quite simple really. What happens to something when it dies? It decomposes, right? This doesn't just apply to living things though. It applies to all atoms. All atoms give off radiation even in small amounts. This is referred to as radioactive decay. This happens at a set rate. It is not affected by gravity, or any of the other basic forces. It's not a guess, it's a fact. By measuring the amount of radioactive decay and object has, you can get an estimate of how old that object is.
What is a by product of radioactive decay?
The 3 things that can happen during radioactive decay is the 3 parts of decay: Alpha decay, Beta decay, and Gamma decay. In alpha decay, which is the weakest part of decay, it has a positive helium neuclus(2 protons and 2 neutrons), and the particles will burn your skin, but can be easily stopped by a peice of paper. This is the most ionising as the helium nucleus can take electrons from other atoms and make them unstable. This can give rise to cancers as it distorts cells. In Beta decay (an electron or a positron) is emitted. In the case of electron emission, it is referred to as "beta minus" (β−). It can be stopped by 3mm of aluminum. Gamma decay, which is the strongest, can only be stopped by 3cm of lead. It has electromagnetic waves, it contains the most energy, and therefore is the most penetrating, but normally it just passes straight through the human body. Radioactive decay can be very harmful, and its best to stay away. This question has been anwsered by Rae-Ann Salisbury.
Why does radioactive source give out radiation?
Radioactive decay happens when an unstable atom cannot hold itself together, and pieces of it fly out. The pieces include the emissions we call radiation.
Give one external condition that does not affect radioactive decay?
Just about NO environmental condition can change the rate of radioactive decay - except perhaps very extreme conditions, such as temperatures of millions of kelvin, or similarly extreme pressures (and it is debatable whether this is a different category).So, none of temperature, electric current, electric or magnetic fields, pressure, etc., will affect radioactive decay.
What does the unstable nucleus of an atom give off during radioactive decay?
An unstable nucleus (radioactive isotope) may emit: alpha particles, beta particles, gamma radiations, electrons, positrons, X-rays, and neutrons, depending on which nucleus is doing the emitting.
Do all atoms give out radiation?
Any excited atomic nucleus can radiate energy, but we generally only see radioactive atoms emitting radiation.
When a plant or animal dies the amount of carbon-14?
The organism stops taking in any more Carbon-14. From that point onwards, the carbon-14 atoms will undergo radioactive decay and the ratio of C-14 to C-12 would fall. The ratio of C-14 to C-12 (or total C) would give a measure of how long ago the organism died.
Does quartz give off radiation?
Some varieties may contain radioactive material, whether because the atoms are radioactive themselves or have been irradiated by other minerals.
