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Radioactive describes something that exhibits or is caused by radioactivity. If something is radioactive, it emits radiation, which usually takes the form of electromagnetic waves or fast-moving elementary particles, such as protons or neutrons.

While low doses of radiation are usually harmless, being exposed to large amounts of radiation will most likely kill you. For this reason, highly radioactive materials are often considered very dangerous and will only be handled by experts.

Example: The radioactive waste produced by nuclear power plants can damage the environment. 

Radioactive was first recorded around 1895. It combines radio-, which refers to energy transmitted in wave motion (radiant energy), and active, which describes something being in action or motion. If something is radioactive, it is releasing energy that is usually moving very fast.

What makes something radioactive? In chemistry, everything is made up of atoms, and that atom has a nucleus containing protons and neutrons. The nucleus wants the same number of electrons and neutrons. If they aren’t the same, the nucleus will remove electrons or neutrons until there is an equal number within the nucleus. The released protons and neutrons are called radiation, and an element that releases radiation is radioactive.

Radioactive materials can be dangerous because the radiation can damage a living thing’s DNA (which is really bad) or cause mutations in living cells (which is also really bad).

While the effects will be different depending on the specifics of the radioactive material, one of the most common negative effects is cancer, which is caused by mutating cells. For this reason, governments usually will not allow people (or businesses) to own or handle dangerous radioactive materials without a license.

Because of these laws, unless you work in a nuclear power plant or are a nuclear chemist, you most likely won’t have to worry about whether something is radioactive.

What are some other forms related to radioactive?

• radioactivity (noun)
• radioactively (adverb)
• nonradioactive (adjective)
• unradioactive (adjective)

What are some words that share a root or word element with radioactive?��

• radiotelegraph (commonly shortened to a radio)
• radiology
• hyperactive
• inactive

What are some words that often get used in discussing radioactive?

• radiation
• chemistry
• nuclear chemistry
• nucleus
• uranium
• plutonium
• curium

In everyday life, radioactive is generally used only by scientists and people interested in nuclear science or in related news stories. However, radioactive materials sometimes appear in fiction and pop culture.

Our idea of glaciers may be that they are pure and uncontaminated, but evidence shows that in fact they are significantly affected by pollution – including radioactive materials. On this week's , explores this complicated issue:

— EGU (@EuroGeosciences)

UN Experts Urge Japan Not to Rush Discharge of Radioactive Water

— The Irrawaddy (Eng) (@IrrawaddyNews)

Dreamed strange dreams of defending my house against radioactive mutants. They scratched my kitchen cabinets.

— Lagergren (@lagergren)

True or False?

If something is radioactive, it is stable and will not release any radiation.