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Learn about the factors that affect nuclear stability and the types of radioactivity and emissions of unstable isotopes. Explore the graph of stable isotopes and the concept of superheavy elements.
Some elements have no stable isotopes, which means that any atom of that element is radioactive. For some other elements, only certain isotopes are radioactive. A radioisotope is an isotope of an element that is unstable and undergoes radioactive decay.
Isotopes are members of a family of an element that have the same number of protons but different numbers of neutrons. Learn about stable and unstable isotopes, their properties, applications, and how the DOE produces and distributes them.
19 sie 2022 · Atoms with the same number of protons but different numbers of neutrons are called isotopes. They share almost the same chemical properties, but differ in mass and therefore in physical properties. There are stable isotopes, which do not emit radiation, and there are unstable isotopes, which do emit radiation. The latter are called radioisotopes.
12 wrz 2023 · The alpha, beta, and gamma rays are generally emitted by unstable isotopes. It is an unstable combination of protons and neutrons in an unstable isotope or radioactive isotope. Unstable isotopes are classified into long-lived, cosmogenic, anthropogenic, and radiogenic categories based on their creation process.
10 sty 2023 · Learn how unstable isotopes, also known as radioactive isotopes, transform into more stable ones by shedding energy and particles. Find out how long it takes for each isotope to decay and what types of radiation it emits.
The approximately ninety naturally occurring elements are estimated to occur as 339 different isotopes, of which roughly 250 are stable and 35 are unstable (radioactive) with extremely long half-lives of millions of years.
