Abstract
In 1896, Henri Becquerel first discovered natural radioactivity in potassium uranyl sulfate. Artificial radioactivity was not produced until 1934, when I. Curie and F. Joliot made boron, aluminum, and magnesium radioactive by bombarding them with α-particles from polonium.This introduction of artificial radioactivity prompted the invention of cyclotrons and reactors in which many radionuclides are now produced. So far, more than 2700 radionuclides have been artificially produced and characterized in terms of their physical properties.
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Suggested Readings
Evans RD. The Atomic Nucleus. Malabar, FL: Kreiger; 1982.
Friedlander G, Kennedy JW, Miller JM. Nuclear and Radiochemistry. 3rd ed. New York: Wiley; 1981.
Turner JE. Atoms, Radiation, and Radiation Protection. 2nd ed. New York: Wiley; 1995.
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Saha, G.B. (2006). Radioactive Decay. In: Physics and Radiobiology of Nuclear Medicine. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-36281-6_2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-36281-6_2
Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY
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