Radioactivity, in the context of the Edexcel (9-1) GCSE Physics course, refers to events that release energy when one atom changes into a different type of atom.

The change can either be spontaneous (radioactive decay) or induced (the processes of nuclear fission and nuclear fusion).

To understand how these changes can happen we need to know something about the structure of the atom and recognise the ways in which one atom is different from another.

Before looking inside the atom, it is worth noting that the idea of being able to change one substance into a different substance is not new. Alchemists of old searched for a way to turn lead into gold: they were driven by the fact that these two metals are physically similar in respect of density and malleability but very different in appearance, abundance and value. In the twentieth century, this ambition has been realised using particle accelerators but the cost of the process far outstrips the value of the gold produced.

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Writer and photographer with experience in teaching physics, computer programming and research metallurgy. Previously the lead for both e-safety and e-learning for all schools in Jersey. Former editor of British Journal of Photography and Professional Photographer magazines. Author of multiple books on photography and articles on other subjects ranging from unreliable online information to customising multiple-choice question papers.

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