Radioactivity and Nuclear Physics

Elements with atomic number greater than 82 (lead) exhibit natural radioactivity. This is because all nuclei beyond lead are unstable and undergo radioactive decay. The elements from atomic number 83 onwards are naturally radioactive.

Gamma radiation is the correct answer - in Marvel comics and the TV series, Dr. Bruce Banner was exposed to gamma rays during an experiment which caused him to transform into the Hulk when angry. The other options are also Greek letters (nu, ultraviolet is not a letter, upsilon) but gamma is the specific radiation type associated with the Hulk's origin.

Krypton is used in specialized medical imaging to detect heart defects and also in certain electronic devices like flash lamps and lasers. Radon is radioactive and hazardous. Neon is used in signs and lighting. Argon is used in welding and as an inert atmosphere.

Radon (Rn) is the only radioactive noble gas among the options. All noble gases are stable except radon, which has no stable isotopes and is radioactive due to its large atomic size and nuclear instability.

Element 117 (Tennessine) was first synthesized in 2010 by a Russian-American team through nuclear fusion, bombarding berkelium-249 with calcium-48 ions. This process of creating superheavy elements by fusing lighter nuclei is well-documented. The claim that scientists created it from calcium and berkelium is factually correct.

An alpha particle consists of 2 protons and 2 neutrons. When a nucleus emits an alpha particle, its atomic number decreases by 2. Radium (88) minus 2 protons results in an atom with atomic number 86, which is Radon.

Henri Becquerel discovered radioactivity in 1896 while studying uranium salts. He found that they emitted radiation that could penetrate opaque materials. This discovery was fundamental to nuclear physics. Babbage is associated with computers.

A Geiger counter detects and measures ionizing radiation (alpha, beta, and gamma particles). It works by counting the electrical pulses produced when radiation ionizes gas in a tube. It is unrelated to earthquakes, acidity, or wind.

X-rays comprise electromagnetic radiations. X-rays are a form of high-energy electromagnetic radiation with shorter wavelengths than visible light. They are not composed of particles like protons, electrons, or neutrons - they are transverse waves in the electromagnetic spectrum.

Alpha particle emission reduces atomic number by 2 because the alpha particle carries away 2 protons. Radium-88 becomes radon-86 with atomic number 86.

Tritium is a radioactive isotope of hydrogen with one proton and two neutrons, making it hydrogen-3. It is used in glow-in-the-dark watch faces and as a tracer in scientific experiments. The other options are elements that have their own distinct isotopes but tritium specifically refers to hydrogen.

Alpha decay occurs when a nucleus ejects a helium nucleus (2 protons and 2 neutrons) to become more stable. Beta decay involves electron or positron emission, while gamma decay releases only energy as electromagnetic radiation. The ejected helium particle is specifically called an alpha particle.

In beta decay, a neutrino (or antineutrino) is always emitted along with the beta particle. In beta-minus decay, an antineutrino is emitted; in beta-plus decay, a neutrino is emitted. This conserves lepton number and accounts for the continuous energy spectrum of beta particles.

Beta particles are high-energy electrons or positrons emitted during beta decay. In beta-minus decay, an electron is emitted; in beta-plus decay, a positron is emitted. They are not photons or excited versions of particles.