Radioactive isotope
Radioactive Isotope
A Radioactive Isotope (pronunciation: /ˌreɪdioʊˈæktɪv ˈaɪsətoʊp/), also known as a radioisotope, is an atom with an unstable nucleus, which emits radiation during its decay to a stable form. This process is known as radioactive decay.
Etymology
The term "Radioactive Isotope" is derived from the Greek word 'radio' meaning 'ray', and 'isotope' from the Greek 'isos' and 'topos', meaning 'same place'. This refers to the isotopes occupying the same place on the Periodic Table due to their identical atomic numbers.
Related Terms
- Isotope: Isotopes are variants of a particular chemical element which differ in neutron number, and consequently in nucleon number. All isotopes of a given element have the same number of protons but different numbers of neutrons in each atom.
- Radioactivity: The spontaneous emission of radiation, either directly from unstable atomic nuclei or as a consequence of a nuclear reaction.
- Half-life: The time required for a quantity to reduce to half of its initial value. In the context of Radioactive Isotopes, it refers to the time it takes for half of the isotope in a sample to decay.
- Alpha particle: A type of ionizing radiation ejected by certain types of radioactive isotopes during decay.
- Beta particle: High-energy, high-speed electrons or positrons emitted by certain types of radioactive nuclei such as potassium-40.
- Gamma radiation: Penetrating electromagnetic radiation arising from the radioactive decay of atomic nuclei.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Radioactive isotope
- Wikipedia's article - Radioactive isotope
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