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Chemistry

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We hear about the concept of 'radiation' all the time, especially in medical terminology. Radiation, however, occurs when an unstable, high-energy nucleus of an element releases some of that energy to get to a more stable state (similar to when we consume way too much candy and need to work off all of that energy!). Alpha decay is one of the ways this excess energy is expelled!

alpha decay simulation

Alpha Decay

## INTRODUCTION 

On the 6th of August 1945, American forces launched an atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan. It killed nearly 90,000 to 120,000 individuals, who perished from injuries or severe radiation illness either immediately or during the coming weeks and months. The aftermath of radiation, which caused more significant issues such as damage to bone marrow and the digestive tract, set this explosion apart from other gunpowder bombs. In this article, we will study the radioactive properties of elements.

![Radioactivity](//images.ctfassets.net/4yflszkpcwkt/5YH3de0cFMmnrZJ3LB3B7H/8df9d6a75f2fd775d0a3f728c25b0fa4/Radioactivity.jpg)
[Source](http://zidbits.com/2013/11/is-nagasaki-and-hiroshima-still-radioactive/)

### WHAT IS RADIOACTIVITY

- The spontaneous emission of radiation in the form of particulate or high-energy photons due to a nuclear process is known as radioactivity. 
- Radioactive decay, nuclear deterioration, nuclear disintegration, and radioactive disintegration are all terms for the same thing. 
- While there are various types of electromagnetic radiation, radioactivity is not usually the source. A light bulb, for example, emits radiation in the form of heat and light but is not radioactive.

![Radiation, Radioactivity and Radioactive Materials](//images.ctfassets.net/4yflszkpcwkt/n4vG2fCHDApNy1jXz7iuw/2fb0b8880e2c99bc8a82261619e363d0/img-01-01-01.png)
[Source](https://www.env.go.jp/en/chemi/rhm/basic-info/1st/01-01-01.html)

- The nucleus of an atom shows radioactivity as a result of nuclear instability. Radiation released from an atom's unstable nucleus causes energy to be dissipated.

### UNCERTAINTY IN RADIOACTIVE DECAY

- At the level of individual atoms, radioactive decay is a randomized or stochastic phenomenon.
- While it is difficult to forecast when a solitary unstable nucleus would decay, decay rates or half-lives may be used to estimate the rate of disintegration of a collection of atoms. 
- A half-life is the amount of time it takes for half of a sample of matter to decay radioactively.

### LAW OF RADIOACTIVITY

- The disintegration of the nucleus produces radioactivity.
- The rule of conservation of charge governs radioactivity.
- The offspring nucleus has distinct physical and chemical characteristics than the mother nucleus.
- Alpha, beta, and gamma particles are always present when energy is emitted by radioactivity.
- The number of atoms present at the moment determines the rate of decay of radioactive compounds.

![Three-Kinds-of-Radioactive-Decay ](//images.ctfassets.net/4yflszkpcwkt/7qJBYyvTVW5rGixVBosens/42d288d6f0808c43213df14b9fe9b73d/Three-Kinds-of-Radioactive-Decay_QBS_Featured.jpg)
[Source](https://www.wondriumdaily.com/radioactive-decay-kinds-and-properties/)

### TYPES OF RADIOACTIVE DECAY

Alpha, beta, and gamma decay were the first three forms of radioactive decay known. The capacity to permeate matter gave these decay types their names. The shortest distance is covered by alpha decay, whereas the longest distance is covered by gamma decay.

![Radioactive-Decay](//images.ctfassets.net/4yflszkpcwkt/3ozoIx6ddpCXH5fake4oBP/a33e36c59ddd13c1eec117c682103205/Radioactive-Decay-12.png)
[Source](https://thefactfactor.com/facts/pure_science/physics/radioactive-decay/12123/)

### ALPHA DECAY:

A nucleus splits up into two pieces in alpha decay: a pair of protons coupled to a pair of neutrons (a cluster of four particles that is effectively a helium nucleus and is termed an alpha particle), and the parent nucleus minus alpha particle.

![alpha-decay](//images.ctfassets.net/4yflszkpcwkt/1KF9h8xNJVqZycEEihoEBL/c6e45047c97439e568199c1d773d1fc6/alpha-decay.jpg)
[Source](https://www.britannica.com/science/alpha-decay)

### BETA DECAY:
- One of the neutrons in the nucleus turns into a proton via beta decay, resulting in a rise in the atomic number of the element. 
- The nucleus not only changes its atomic number but also develops and discharges an electron from the atom to balance out the positive charge it receives by converting a neutron to a proton.

![Beta Decay](//images.ctfassets.net/4yflszkpcwkt/7D2PiYRqLSQxAhwOtt6XTB/998314ddf054c9a61a33a23bf5f37643/6uvgykbw7t.jpg)
[Source](https://study.com/academy/lesson/making-predictions-about-radioactive-nuclei-decay.html)

### GAMMA DECAY:

- The nucleus emits radiation without altering its makeup during gamma decay. Because photons may penetrate through most typical shielding materials and induce DNA damage in living cells, gamma rays are among the most harmful forms of radiation. 
- But this could be used in beneficial ways as well like gamma rays are used in radiotherapy to destroy malignant cells. They're also utilized to scan the insides of the body.

![Gamma Decay](//images.ctfassets.net/4yflszkpcwkt/1HRxyA0f5Zjk4ZYaXK6cuz/d8b2359e4ae77d218403d7eec402f385/f-d_1748a6da5cc773af2036c75679d128fb16959bf74fd10346b62f1a6f_IMAGE_THUMB_POSTCARD_TINY_IMAGE_THUMB_POSTCARD_TINY.1)
[Source](https://www.ck12.org/chemistry/gamma-decay/lesson/Gamma-Decay-MS-PS/)

## CONCLUSION
- Radioactive decay occurs when a nucleus spontaneously loses some of its mass and emits radiation.
- The alpha, beta, and gamma radioactive decay products will be discussed here in order of their capacity to permeate materials.

### FAQs

__1. What is radioactivity in simple words?__

Radioactivity is the act of producing radiation autonomously, as the term indicates. This is accomplished by an unstable atomic nucleus that "desires" to lose some energy in order to move to a more stable form.

__2. What is radioactivity and what are the different types?__

Contingent on what particles or energy are emitted during the reaction, multiple forms of radioactivity exist. Alpha particles, beta particles, and gamma rays are the three most frequent forms of radiation.

*We hope you enjoyed studying this lesson and learned something cool about __Radioactivity__! Join our Discord community to get any questions you may have answered and to engage with other students just like you! Don't forget to download our App to experience our fun VR classrooms - we promise, it makes studying much more fun!* 😎 

## SOURCES
1. Radioactivity: https://chem.libretexts.org/Courses/University_of_Missouri/MU%3A__1330H_(Keller)/21%3A_Nuclear_Chemistry/21.1%3A_Radioactivity . Accessed 14 march 2022.
2. Definition of Radioactivity: https://www.thoughtco.com/definition-of-radioactivity-606338. Accessed 14 march 2022.
3. Radioactivity Decay Types: https://www.khanacademy.org/science/in-in-class-12th-physics-india/nuclei/in-in-nuclear-physics/a/radioactive-decay-types-article. Accessed 14 march 2022.


The disintegration of the nucleus produces radioactivity.


Radioactivity Study Guide

## INTRODUCTION

Do you know that Marie Curie, who was awarded the Nobel Prize twice, died because of the discovery she made? And the same discovery is now showing its wonder in the field of medicine. 
Yes, you read it right.

Madame Curie died because of aplastic anemia caused by exposure to radiation. But what kind of radiation? Let's find out by discussing different types of radioactive decay in this article.

### WHAT IS RADIOACTIVE DECAY?

Everything in nature wants to be more stable, and so is it too with an atom. When there is an imbalance of protons and neutrons in a nucleus, it disintegrates and gives out radiation by a process called radioactive decay. The atom can disintegrate in various ways, such as alpha, beta and gamma decay.

It is to be noted that the sum of atomic number and mass number of reactants and products remains the same in all of the following processes. 

### ALPHA DECAY(𝞪):
When a nucleus breaks up into a helium nucleus (alpha particle) and an atom called a daughter nucleus. The helium nucleus has 2 protons and 2 neutrons and is positively charged. The daughter nucleus has atomic number 2 less and mass number 4 less than the parent nucleus.

![Alpha-Decay](//images.ctfassets.net/4yflszkpcwkt/22lFto0HKKHBpCakqDbUlm/0da3ebb8014cee29e42d895a91e63968/Alpha-Decay-Alpha-Radioactivity-definition.png)
[Source](https://www.nuclear-power.com/nuclear-power/reactor-physics/atomic-nuclear-physics/radioactive-decay/alpha-decay-alpha-radioactivity/)

### BETA DECAY(𝛃):
Beta-decay is of two types: 𝛃- and 𝛃.

The easiest way to remember the types is that 𝛃- gives out a negatively charged particle and 𝛃 gives a positively charged one. 

The emission of an electron is 𝛃- decay, and it occurs when the neutron to proton ratio of a nucleus is high.

It is the conversion of a neutron to a proton and electron accompanied by the release of some energy. There is no change in mass number, but the atomic number increases by 1 for the daughter nucleus. 

![Beta-decay](//images.ctfassets.net/4yflszkpcwkt/4b5xO8rPaoN0dE97m5XuuT/c44872356edd15592ff01cc7e08b2df6/betadecay.gif)
[Source](https://education.jlab.org/glossary/betadecay.html)

### 𝛃 OR POSITRON DECAY:

This process is exactly the opposite of 𝛃- decay, as this occurs when the neutron to proton ratio in an atom is low. In this process, a proton is converted to neutron and positron. The positron can be thought of as a twin of an electron but with an opposite charge. The mass number of the daughter nucleus decreases by 1 in this process.

### ELECTRON CAPTURE:

In this process, the inner electron of an atom is consumed by a neutral nucleus. Since one electron is consumed by the nucleus, the atomic number decreases by 1, but the mass number doesn't change. Also, this process is similar to 𝛃 decay.

### GAMMA EMISSION (Ɣ):

Gamma emission is neither accompanied by a change in mass number nor in atomic number. 
Then what is changing? The energy. 

![Gamma emission](//images.ctfassets.net/4yflszkpcwkt/2lrBsIZVSo4DEmApgx5NAc/2058bfe3307ca15eb286487047ec266f/Isomeric-Transition-Gamma-Decay.png)
[Source](https://www.nuclear-power.com/nuclear-power/reactor-physics/atomic-nuclear-physics/radioactive-decay/gamma-decay-gamma-radioactivity/)

The excited nucleus, after emitting alpha or beta particles, on its return to a lower energy state, emits gamma radiation. 

## CONCLUSION:

- An atom with an imbalanced number of neutrons and protons breaks and gives out radiation in the form of some particles. 
- Depending on the particle emitted and change in mass and atomic number, the decay is called alpha, beta and gamma decay.  

### FAQS:

__1. Why in beta decay, the mass number of the daughter nucleus doesn't change?__

During beta decay, an electron is ejected, which has no mass or negligible mass. Thus, the mass number doesn't change.

__2. Can gamma decay occur independently?__

No, gamma decay occurs only after a nucleus undergoes alpha or beta decay. 

__3. What is alpha decay?__

When an atomic nucleus emits an alpha particle, it results in a decrease in the atomic and mass number of the daughter nucleus. 

*We hope you enjoyed studying this lesson and learned something cool about the __Types of radioactive decay__! Join our Discord community to get any questions you may have answered and to engage with other students just like you! Don't forget to download our app to experience our fun VR classrooms - we promise it makes studying much more fun!* 😎

## SOURCES:

1. Radioactive Decay Types: https://www.khanacademy.org/science/in-in-class-12th-physics-india/nuclei/in-in-nuclear-physics/a/radioactive-decay-types-article. Accessed 25 Feb 2022.
2. Gamma Decay: https://www.ck12.org/chemistry/gamma-decay/lesson/Gamma-Decay-MS-PS/. Accessed 25 Feb 2022.
3. Radioactive decay: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radioactive_decay. 25 Feb 2022.

Among the most common types of radioactive decay are α decay, β decay, γ emission, positron emission, and electron capture. 
