RADIOACTIVITY

AND ITS USES

Arshia Tewari, IGCSE 1.
What is radioactivity?
Radioactivity is established as the electromagnetic ray and particle emission from an
unstable atom. Radioactivity is also known as nuclear decay, radioactive decay,
radioactive disintegration or nuclear disintegration. There are several types of
electromagnetic radiation but not all of them are produced by radioactivity. For
example, a tube light might emit radiation in form of light and heat but it is not
radioactive. A substance that holds unstable atomic nuclei is taken to be radioactive.
Radioactive decay is a
random process that usually
happens at the measure of
separate atoms. Even
though it isn't possible to
anticipate precisely when
the decay of an unstable
nucleus will take place, the
half-life can be used as a
base to foretell the pace of
decay for a group of atoms.
The measure of time it needs
for the decay of one-half of
the radioactive isotope is
perceived as the isotope's
half-life.
Harmful effects of radioactivity
Radiation is the particles that are released during radioactive
decay.
Some harmful effects of radioactivity are Ionizing radiation, the
type of radiation that minerals, atom bombs and nuclear reactors
release, weakens and breaks up human DNA by either damaging
cells so much that they die or causing them to mutate in ways
that might, later on, lead to cancer. Vomiting blood, nausea and
diarrhoea can all be results of radiation damage to our intestinal
tract lining.
Radioactive materials that release alpha and beta particles are
highly toxic when consumed, inhaled, absorbed or injected. Some
ionizing radiations can be dangerous. Gamma rays are formed
instead of energy and are the most damaging outer danger.
Interesting facts about radioactivity
The S.I Unit for radioactivity is named after its
accidental discoverer - Henri Becquerel.
The first radioactive isotope linked to cancer in
humans is Radon.
Radium was still sold as a health tonic for
some time after scientists first learned about
how harmful it was.
The half-life of carbon-14 is utilized in carbon
dating to ascertain the age of fossils.
Bismuth is the heaviest element that has a
stable isotope. Other elements that are
heavier than bismuth are all radioactive.
Modern uses of radioactivity

Even though scientists have

known about radiation only for
about a hundred and thirty years,
they have uncovered a wide range
of applications for this natural
force. For our own advantage,
today radiation is used in
medicine, academia, industry and
for generating electricity.
 Medical uses of Radioactivity
Hospitals, dentists and doctors all use a wide
range of nuclear substances and methods to
diagnose, monitor and administer a wide
variety of metabolic processes and human
diseases. Radiation therapy, otherwise known
as diagnostic x-rays, has been applied to
roughly seven out of ten people in America.
Discovery and remedy of ailments like bone
cancer and hyperthyroidism using radiation in
the pharmaceutical method have rescued
thousands of lives.
The most usual mentioned
pharmaceutical methods include the
utilisation of x-rays (a form of
radiation that has the ability to see
beyond the surface of our skin).
Shadows projected by bodily
structures denser than skin (our
bones for example) can be
recognised on photographic film
when x-rayed.
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THANK
YOU