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Radioactivity Notes

Radioactivity is the emission of radiation from unstable atomic nuclei, discovered by Henri Becquerel in 1896. It includes types of decay such as alpha, beta, and gamma, measured in units like Becquerel and Curie. Radioactivity has beneficial applications in medicine, energy, and industry, but also poses hazards like radiation sickness and environmental contamination.

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143 views1 page

Radioactivity Notes

Radioactivity is the emission of radiation from unstable atomic nuclei, discovered by Henri Becquerel in 1896. It includes types of decay such as alpha, beta, and gamma, measured in units like Becquerel and Curie. Radioactivity has beneficial applications in medicine, energy, and industry, but also poses hazards like radiation sickness and environmental contamination.

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geraldkojjo16
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### **Radioactivity Notes**

Radioactivity is the process by which unstable atomic nuclei lose energy by emitting radiation. It was
discovered by Henri Becquerel in 1896 and later studied extensively by Marie and Pierre Curie.

### **Types of Radioactive Decay**

1. **Alpha Decay (α)** – The nucleus emits an alpha particle (helium nucleus), reducing its atomic
number by 2 and mass number by 4.

2. **Beta Decay (β)** – A neutron converts into a proton, emitting an electron or positron.

3. **Gamma Decay (γ)** – The nucleus releases high-energy photons without changing its atomic
number or mass.

### **Units of Radioactivity**

- **Becquerel (Bq)** – Measures radioactive decay per second.

- **Curie (Ci)** – Another unit, where 1 Ci = 3.7 × 10¹⁰ decays per second.

### **Effects of Radioactivity**

- **Beneficial Uses** – Medical imaging, cancer treatment, energy production.

- **Hazards** – Can cause radiation sickness, genetic mutations, and environmental contamination.

### **Applications of Radioactivity**

- **Medicine** – X-rays, radiation therapy.

- **Energy** – Nuclear power plants.

- **Industry** – Material testing, food preservation.

- **Research** – Carbon dating, nuclear physics studies.

Would you like more details on a specific aspect? You can also check out [this
source](https://sciencenotes.org/radioactivity-and-the-types-of-radioactive-decay/) for more
information.

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