What do unstable elements do

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One can describe the emissions as gamma, beta and alpha radiation. All the time, the atom is progressing in one or more steps towards a stable state where it is no longer radioactive. Another source of nuclear radioactivity is when one form of a radioisotope changes into another form, or isomer, releasing a gamma ray in the process. The excited form is signified with an "m" meta beside its atomic number, eg technetiumm Tcm decays to Tc Gamma rays are often emitted with alpha or beta radiation also, as the nucleus decays to a less excited state.

Apart from the normal measures of mass and volume, the amount of radioactive material is given in becquerel Bq , a measure which enables us to compare the typical radioactivity of some natural and other materials.

Though the intrinsic radioactivity is the same, the radiation dose received by someone handling a kilogram of high grade uranium ore will be much greater than for the same exposure to a kilogram of separated uranium, since the ore contains a number of short-lived decay products see section on Radioactive Decay.

However as the number of protons increases, more neutrons are needed to keep the nucleus stable. For example lead, lead has 82 protons and has neutrons. Nuclei with too many, or too few, neutrons do exist naturally but are unstable and will disintegrate or decay by emitting radiation. This is called radioactive decay. It is important to realise that radioactive nuclei disintegrate:.