Something that is radioactive contains a substance that produces energy in the form of powerful and harmful rays. The government has been storing radioactive waste at Fernald for 50 years. + radioactivity radio·ac·tiv·ity waste which is contaminated with low levels of radioactivity. a radioactive substance is dangerous because it contains radiation (=a form of energy that can harm living things)
Describing the spontaneous breakdown of atomic nuclei (normally the heaviest atoms) into lighter nuclei with the ejection of alpha particles, electrons, and gamma photons
a property of certain elements, or isotopes of an element, whose atomic nuclei are unstable and subject to spontaneous disintegration, thereby giving off ionizing radiation
Radioactive describes the spontaneous disintegration of atomic nuclei accompanied by the emission of small particles Depending on the type of emission, scientists define alpha (helium nuclei), beta (electrons or positrons), and gamma radiation (short-wavelength electromagnetic waves)
Giving off, or capable of giving off, radiant energy in the form of particles (alpha or beta radiation) or rays (gamma radiation) by the spontaneous disintegration of the nuclei of atoms Radioisotopes of elements lose particles and energy through the process of radioactive decay Elements may decay into different atoms or a different state of the same atom
Having unstable atoms that decay or break down to another kind of atom The process emits high-energy particles For example, radium decays to form radon Radiation includes high-energy particles, which include alpha and beta particles and gamma rays