Abstract
Radioactivity, also known as nuclear decay, radioactivity, radioactive
disintegration or nuclear disintegration, is the progression by which an unstable atomic
nucleus drops energy by radiation. A material comprising unbalanced nuclei is
considered radioactive. Three of the most common types of decay are alpha decay (α -
decay), beta decay (β-decay), and gamma decay (γ-decay). The present chapter
envelops the fundamental understanding of radioactivity. It progresses through the
introduction to radioactivity, alpha decay, magnetic spectrometer, determination of
energy of α (Alpha) particle, Gamow’s Theory of Alpha decay, beta decay,
measurement of energy of beta particle and Neutrino Theory of Beta decay: (Pauli’s
Neutrino Hypothesis, Fermi theory of Beta decay, Gamma Decay, Measurement of
Gamma γ-Ray Energies.