What is the most common radioactive element in our food?

The natural radioactivity in foods is mainly caused by the potassium isotope potassium-40 and the long-lived radionuclides of the uranium-radium decay chain and the thorium decay chain. Among artificial radionuclides, especially caesium-137 is important for the radiation exposure to man.

Which group has the most radioactive elements?

Most radioactive elements are located in the f-block, also known as the inner transition metals (B), which consist of lanthanides and actinides.

Is uranium the most radioactive element?

In comparison, the most radioactive element is polonium. It has a half-life of a mere 138 days. Still, uranium has explosive potential, thanks to its ability to sustain a nuclear chain reaction.

Is a banana radioactive?

Bananas have naturally high-levels of potassium and a small fraction of all potassium is radioactive. Each banana can emit . 01 millirem (0.1 microsieverts) of radiation. This is a very small amount of radiation.

What foods contain uranium?

Microgram amounts of uranium are also present in beef, poultry, eggs, fish, shellfish, and milk. Root vegetables, such as beets and potatoes, tend to have more uranium than other foods.

What is the most dangerous radioactive element?

Cesium-137 is one of the most dangerous radioactive elements, which is released after nuclear power plant accidents. When entering the human body, it has a disastrous effect.

What are radioactive elements called?

Radioactive forms of elements are called radionuclideradionuclideRadioactive forms of elements are called radionuclides. Radium -226, Cesium-137, and Strontium-90 are examples of radionuclides.s.

What are the uses of radioactive elements?

The radioactive elements uranium and plutonium are used in the generation of electricity in nuclear power plants. Small radiactive sources of particles are used in many home smoke detectors. These elements are also used in the production of nuclear weapons.

How many elements are radioactive?

So all 118 elements have radioactive isotopes, but only a few dozen have naturally occurring radioactive isotopes. The dangers of the radioactive isotopes varies with their abundance, half-life, biological function, type of radiation, etc.