Radioactive
Radioactive Introduction to Radioactivity The term radioactive is commonly used. Radioactivity is a property of certain elements in the universe, making it an important topic to learn about—especially in this lesson. Before diving into details, let’s first understand what radioactive elements are. The periodic table includes several radioactive elements. The lightest naturally radioactive element is technetium, while the heaviest continues to be discovered (perhaps ongoing research will identify new ones). Elements with an atomic number greater than 93 (except technetium) typically have naturally unstable isotopes. Some of these isotopes are artificial. Their instability is mainly due to: • The weight of their nucleus • An imbalance in their nuclear components (protons and neutrons) For other atoms (especially isotopes), instability can arise when they do not follow the proton-neutron ratio rules, leading to imbalance. Examples include oxygen-18 and cobalt-48. In Dalton’s atomi...