I know now that when isotopes are unstable, something may become radioactive. But what exactly does that mean?
In: Physics
A radioactive isotope is the same thing as an unstable isotope. It means it can spontaneously decay into a smaller isotope, emitting particles and electromagnetic radiations.
We often associate “being radioactive” with “emitting dangerous radiations”, these radiations are produced by the decay of the unstable atoms. They are electromagnetic radiations, same as visible light microwaves or radiofrequencies, however they are often of particularily high frequency (which means high energy), high enough to be harmful to the cells of our bodies.
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