12. Radioactivity

What kind of things are radioactive?

Substances that give out radiation all the time

What is radioactivity?

The spontaneous disintegration of the nucleus of an atom

What is radiation?

Energy in the form of waves and particles

What elements are radioactive?

All elements with atomic number bigger than 83 + isotopes of some smaller atoms

What is ionising radiation?

Molecules are struck by radiation -> Become electrically charged because radiation knocks electrons out of atoms making them positive ions

What can ionising radiation do?

Damage cells which lead to cancer

What do radioactive substances have?

Atoms with unstable nuclei

What can unstable nuclei produce when split?

Radiation or a different atom

What produces radiation or a different atom?

Unstable nuclei when they split

What is a radioisotope?

Any isotope of an element which is radioactive