Why are parts like radium bad? A chemist explains radioactivity and its well being results

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“What is radium and why is it dangerous?” – Aurora, 10, Laredo, Texas

The component radium can also be present in extraordinarily tiny quantities within the Earth’s crust and oceans, and in its natural shape this is a comfortable silvery steel. To an untrained eye, a small piece of radium would possibly seem like a chip off a standard grey rock. However radium can invisibly emit radiation – calories and small fragments of itself – that you’ll be able to’t really feel, see or odor. And that invisible radiation can harm you, with out you even noticing straight away.

What’s happening with this silent risk that may stealthily harm your frame in tactics that may take years to expose themselves?

As a chemist, I’m fascinated with what makes other parts secure to deal with or hazardous. This bad unlock of radiation is known as radioactivity, and despite the fact that its supply would possibly glance unassuming, it will possibly burn you and even come up with sicknesses that don’t manifest for years.

Atoms and isotopes

The whole lot you notice round you – your pores and skin, rocks, the pages of books – is all made up of various mixtures of extraordinarily small debris known as atoms.

An atom has a small, dense middle known as the nucleus. Negatively charged debris known as electrons transfer across the nucleus. Throughout the nucleus, there are two varieties of debris: undoubtedly charged protons and impartial neutrons.

All atoms with the…

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Author : bq3anews

Publish date : 2025-10-13 16:09:00

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