What does «radiactivo» mean in Spanish?
- That is related to or exhibits radioactivity.
Examples of use in Spanish: "Un frasco derramado de material radioactivo como el nitrato de uranilo puede contaminar el piso y cualquier trapo usado para limpiar el derrame".
- (desintegración radiactiva) The process by which an unstable atomic nucleus loses energy (in terms of mass in its rest structure) by emitting radiation, such as an alpha particle, a beta particle with neutrino or only a neutrino in the case of electron capture, or a gamma ray or electron in the case of internal conversion. A material containing such unstable nuclei is considered radioactive. Certain highly excited short-lived nuclear states can decay by neutron emission, or more rarely, by proton emission. Radioactive decay is also known as nuclear disintegration, radioactivity or nuclear radiation. Radioactive decay is a stochastic (i.e., random) process at the level of individual atoms. According to quantum theory, it is impossible to predict when a particular atom will decay, regardless of how long the atom has existed. However, for a collection of atoms, the expected decay rate of the collection is characterized in terms of their measured decay constants or half-lives. This is the basis of radiometric dating. The half-life of radioactive atoms has no known upper limit, spanning a time range of more than 55 orders of magnitude, from nearly instantaneous to much longer than the age of the universe.
- (residuo radiactivo) Waste containing radioactive material. Radioactive waste is usually a by-product of nuclear power generation and other applications of nuclear fission or nuclear technology, such as research and medicine. Radioactive waste is hazardous to most life forms and the environment, and is regulated by government agencies in order to protect human health and the environment.
Examples of use in Spanish: "los residuos radiactivos deben tratarse apropiadamente porque los daños que pueden generar son alarmantes".
- (contaminación radiactiva) Deposition or presence of radioactive substances on surfaces or within solids, liquids or gases (including the human body), when their presence is unintentional or undesirable (as defined by the International Atomic Energy Agency, IAEA). This contamination presents a hazard due to the radioactive decay of the contaminants, which emit harmful ionizing radiation, such as alpha or beta particles, gamma rays or neutrons. The degree of danger is determined by the concentration of the contaminants, the energy of the radiation emitted, the type of radiation and the proximity of the contamination to the body's organs. It is important to be clear that contamination gives rise to radiation hazard, and that the terms "radiation" and "contamination" are not interchangeable. Contamination can affect a person, a place, an animal or an object such as clothing. After an atmospheric discharge of nuclear weapons or a breach in the containment of a nuclear reactor, the air, soil, people, plants and animals in the vicinity will be contaminated with nuclear fuel and fission products.
Examples of use in Spanish: "Los casos de contaminación radiactiva generalizada incluyen el atolón Bikini, la planta de Rocky Flats en Colorado, el desastre nuclear de Fukushima Daiichi, el desastre de Chernobyl y el área alrededor de la instalación de Mayak en Rusia".