Video Transcript
Which of the following statements
correctly describes the possible compositions of the radiation emitted by unstable
atomic nuclei decaying? (A) The radiation emitted by
unstable atomic nuclei decaying consists only of particles. (B) The radiation emitted by
unstable atomic nuclei decaying consists only of electromagnetic waves. (C) The radiation emitted by
unstable atomic nuclei decaying includes particles and electromagnetic waves.
What happens when an unstable
atomic nucleus decays? What type of radiation does it
emit?
To answer this question, let’s
define what we mean by stable and unstable. A stable atom’s nucleus will change
only if something happens outside the atom to cause the change. An unstable atom’s nucleus can
change even if there’s nothing outside it causing the change. When an unstable nucleus changes
all of a sudden, we call this nuclear decay. When decay happens, an unstable
nucleus may emit one of three types of radiation: 𝛼 radiation, 𝛽 radiation, and/or
𝛾 radiation.
Different types of nuclear decay
produce different kinds of nuclear radiation. As shown here, both 𝛾 and 𝛽 decay
produce particles, whereas 𝛾 decay produces electromagnetic waves. Since this question asks us about
the possible compositions of the radiation and doesn’t specify what type of decay
nuclei are undergoing, we can say that option (C) is correct. The radiation emitted by unstable
atomic nuclei decaying includes particles and electromagnetic waves.
