"The nature of radioactivity is simple to unjderstand when it is realized that a radioactive substance is made of atoms of lead which have in their nuclei one or more nuclei of helium. In effect, at the time of the formation of the lead, a number of helium nuclei become entrapped within the lead nuclei. Because the helium nuclei are always in a state of vibration and agitation, they continue to try to assume the natural gaseous condition even while entrapped in the lead. From time to time a nucleus of helium works its way free of the lead nucleus and is ejected as an alpha particle. With the ejection of the alpha particle, there arises an electrical imbalance between the 'electrons' and the nucleus of the lead, and the result is the loss of 2 'electrons' which are referred to as beta particles. These are 2 of the phenomena which have been associated with radioactive materials."

"The characteristics which distinguish one radioactive material from another have to do with the number of alpha particles entrapped in the lead nucleus at the time of inspection, and also with the isotope of lead originally formed in the radioactive state."

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