Energy

Radioactivity

Radioactivity is indeed a physical phenomenon in which unstable nuclei are transformed into nuclei of other elements or isotopes (identical atom nuclei from the chemical viewpoint but with different mass, owing to the different number of neutrons) of the starting nuclei, by emitting nuclear radiation. The core, before decaying to a lower energy level, can remain in a radioactive state for a period of time ranging from a fraction of a second to 100 million years. Radioactivity is also a natural phenomenon but, in the majority of cases, at lower levels. Moreover, it should be remembered that, if kept below certain levels, radiations can even be useful, help certain diagnostic and healing treatments such as X rays, nuclear medicine and “rays” against certain cancer cells. However, each exposition is to be controlled in terms of both duration and intensity and should also comply with all the relevant safety norms, as regards both patients and doctors and specialist technicians. However, above a certain limit, radiation can become very dangerous for human health also with reference to the exposition time. Radioactivity is dangerous especially in those elements marked by a "half-life" (transformation into other nuclei) which may last thousand of years and can stabilise inside the bodies of human beings or other living organisms.