Radioactivity and Nuclear Physics

An alpha particle is a helium nucleus, which contains 2 protons. When radium (atomic number 88, meaning 88 protons) undergoes alpha decay, it loses 2 protons. Therefore, the resulting nucleus has atomic number 88 - 2 = 86. This is a standard alpha decay equation: Ra-226 → Rn-222 + α.

X-rays, gamma rays, and UV light are all forms of electromagnetic radiation with different wavelengths. Uranium is a chemical element ( radioactive metal), not electromagnetic radiation. This tests knowledge of the electromagnetic spectrum.

The activity of a radioactive source is measured in becquerels (Bq), named after Henri Becquerel, representing one nuclear disintegration per second. The curie is an older non-SI unit. Faradays measure electric charge, radons are not units, and velocity is completely unrelated to radioactivity.

Technetium (Tc, atomic 43) was first artificially synthesized in 1937 before being found in nature, making it the first non-transuranic element with this distinction. It was later discovered in trace amounts in uranium ores as a spontaneous fission product. Fermium is transuranic, while actinium and columbium (old name for niobium) occur naturally.

Technetium (Tc, atomic number 43) was the first element artificially produced in 1937 before being found in nature. It was later discovered in trace amounts in uranium ores as a product of spontaneous fission. All elements with atomic numbers > 92 (transuranic) are also artificial.

Marie Curie and her husband Pierre discovered Polonium (named after Poland) in July 1898, and Radium in December 1898. They did not discover Uranium (discovered by Klaproth in 1789), Plutonium (discovered in 1940, after Curie's death), or Radon (discovered by Dorn in 1900).

A Dirty Bomb is a radiological weapon that combines conventional explosives with radioactive material to spread contamination. Smart Bomb and Dumb Bomb refer to guidance systems of conventional explosives. MOAB is a massive conventional bomb (Mother Of All Bombs).

Tinker's Laser and Pudge's Meat Hook are pure damage nukes with no additional effects (like slow or stun) in patch 6.67. Lina's Laguna Blade and Lion's Finger of Death can have Aghanim's Scepter upgrades that add stun or other effects, making them not pure damage. Note that this refers to a specific patch version.

When a nucleus emits an alpha particle, it loses 2 protons (and 2 neutrons). An alpha particle is essentially a helium-4 nucleus, so the atomic number decreases by 2. Radium has Z=88, so after alpha decay the new nucleus has Z=88-2=86.

Carbon-14, a radioactive isotope of carbon, is used in radiocarbon dating to determine the age of organic materials up to about 50,000 years old. The amount of Carbon-14 remaining in a sample indicates how long it has been since the organism died. Hydrogen, gold (Aurum), and sulfur do not have suitable radioactive isotopes for dating.

Alpha particles (alpha rays) are helium nuclei consisting of 2 protons and 2 neutrons, giving them a +2 charge. Beta particles are high-speed electrons with -1 charge. Gamma rays are neutral electromagnetic radiation, and cathode rays are electron beams in vacuum tubes.

U-235 is the naturally occurring fissile isotope of uranium capable of sustaining a chain reaction, making up about 0.7% of natural uranium. U-238 (99.3% of natural uranium) is not fissile. U-239 is an unstable decay product of neptunium-239, and U-245 does not exist in nature.

The radioactive decay series (uranium series, actinium series, thorium series) are also known as the 'actinide series', not the 'lanthanide series'. Lanthanides are the 15 elements from lanthanum to lutetium and are not radioactive decay series.

Hydrogen has three isotopes: protium (^1H), deuterium (^2H), and tritium (^3H). Yttrium is element 39 on the periodic table - a transition metal completely unrelated to hydrogen isotopes.