What is Radioactive Decay?
Radioactive Decay The atomic structure for certain isotopes of elements is unstable. Radioactivity is the natural and spontaneous process by which the unstable atoms of an isotope of an element transform or decay to a different state, and emit or radiate excess energy in the form of particles or waves called radiation. These emissions are energetic enough to ionize atoms and are called ionizing radiation. Depending on how the nucleus releases this excess energy, either a lower energy atom of the same form results or a completely different nucleus and atom are formed. The unstable atoms of a radioactive substance decay in a random fashion but at a characteristic rate. The length of time this takes, the number of steps required and the kinds of radiation released at each step are well known and are unique to that isotope. For instance, an atom of phosphorus-32 decays to an atom of non-radioactive sulfur-32, accompanied by the emission of a beta particle (electron) with an energy up to 1.
