Spontaneous nuclear transformations causing formation of new elements are known as what?

Spontaneous nuclear transformations causing formation of new elements are known as what?

• A. Radioactivity
• B. Radiation
• C. Ionizing radiation
• D. X-ray

Answer: (A)

Spontaneous changes in a nucleus that transform one element into another are described by radioactivity. This is the process where an unstable nucleus decays on its own, often emitting particles or energy as it becomes a different nucleus (a different element or isotope). For example, uranium-238 can decay by emitting an alpha particle to become thorium-234, and carbon-14 decays by beta emission to nitrogen-14. The emitted products are the radiation, but the defining idea is the nuclear transformation itself. Radiation, ionizing radiation, or X-ray refer to the energy or types of radiation produced, not the nuclear decay process itself.

Spontaneous changes in a nucleus that transform one element into another are described by radioactivity. This is the process where an unstable nucleus decays on its own, often emitting particles or energy as it becomes a different nucleus (a different element or isotope). For example, uranium-238 can decay by emitting an alpha particle to become thorium-234, and carbon-14 decays by beta emission to nitrogen-14. The emitted products are the radiation, but the defining idea is the nuclear transformation itself. Radiation, ionizing radiation, or X-ray refer to the energy or types of radiation produced, not the nuclear decay process itself.