At any given moment in time, there is a chance that an atom will decay, but there is also a chance it will remain the same. The decay of radioactive materials is a random process, kind of like flipping a coin or rolling a die. Thus it can be very dangerous when there is an explosion-or in the case of Fukushima, an earthquake-at a nuclear plant, and some of the radioactive atoms escape into the surrounding air, water or soil, causing contamination. The types of atoms used as fuel in nuclear reactors can produce such dangerous radiation, which is why it is very important to keep the fuels safely contained. Some types of radiation surround us every day and are perfectly safe, such as radio waves and visible light other types, such as x-rays and gamma rays, can be dangerous to humans. When this breakdown process occurs, the atom emits radiation. Certain types of atoms are 'radioactive,' meaning that they will eventually decay, or 'break down' into a different type of atom. Why does the contamination last so long? In this (perfectly safe!) activity, you will learn about radioactive decay using coins.ДЄll matter is made of atoms. Disasters like these can take years or even decades to clean up, and make it unsafe for humans to live nearby for even longer. You might have read about nuclear disasters, such as those at Chernobyl, Three Mile Island and Fukushima, in the news or in a history lesson. These plants are generally safe, but occasionally there are accidents in which dangerous radioactive material escapes.

One way of creating energy is with nuclear reactors.

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