I need help today now please
2006-10-18 13:39:46 · 4 answers · asked by Sarah S 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Other - Science
Because they are unstable. When you get large atoms, it takes a lot of energy to keep them together, and the outer electrons are unstable being so far from the nucleus. When they fall apart due to their instability, they emit energy, i.e. radioactivity.
2006-10-18 13:42:47 · answer #1 · answered by jg 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The first two answers you received are correct, but they don't stress that the instability is in the nucleus. It doesn't involve the electrons. When you put together a lot of protons and neutrons in a nucleus, it is hard to keep them together. So some of them come out of the nucleus, and that's radioactive decay.
2006-10-18 14:07:08 · answer #2 · answered by actuator 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Example, carbon 12 is stable but C13 is radioactive. The extra neutrons unbalance the natural system so they are unstable and start to decompose.
2006-10-18 13:43:37 · answer #3 · answered by Ralph 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
determination (a) is pretend, as a results of fact the nuclei of rad-act isotopes are rather risky. (b) (isn't clean).. (c) is actual, as a results of fact the radioactive components keep on radiating for one year(0.5 existence era) untill the nuclei satisfies the inert-gas configuration.. (d)it, is actual in uncommon circumstances
2016-12-16 10:02:53 · answer #4 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋