ABSTRACT
Radioactivity is a property of atoms of unstable isotopes that enables them to spontaneously transform into atoms of other isotopes, with emission of charged particles and quanta of electromagnetic radiation. Natural radioactivity was discovered by Becquerel in 1896 in the study of uranium salts; this marked the beginning of comprehensive examination and use of the phenomenon. A very interesting application is the use of energy released in radioactive decay for generation of electrical energy.
