Introduction to Radioactive Decay

Radioactive decay is one of the darkest and most mysterious corners of physics. It can be immensely destructive or incredibly useful and it is down to us to understand it, and harness its power! Are you ready to learn all about radiation?

This is an image depicting applications of radiation in the real world. In the top left is an image of a medical X-ray of a human hand. In the top right there is a picture of a nuclear power plant; steam rising from tall smokestacks. The bottom right has an image of a regular household smoke detector. The bottom left has an image of a medical CT scanner.

We use radiation for energy production, for medical treatments, as weapons of mass destruction, and even in our smoke detectors!

Introduction to the Atom
Mass Number and Atomic Number
A and Z Values
Decay Equations
Types of Decay
Decay Series
Flipping Coins
Half-life