It is a study of radioactive materials, where the isotopes of elements are used to study the properties and chemical reactions of non-radioactive isotopes and deals with the use of radioactivity to study ordinary chemical reactions is Radiochemistry. Radioactivity is present ever since the formation of the earth. The subject of radiochemistry is introduced with a discussion of the three principal naturally occurring radioactive series of substances. A discussion of atomic and nuclear structure is followed by an excellent treatment of nuclear reactions. Radiochemistry differs from radiation chemistry where the radiation levels are kept too low to influence the chemistry. Radiochemistry includes the study of natural and man-made radioisotopes. Radiochemistry is usually considered to be the use of radioactive materials to study chemical reactions, to trace biological and geological processes. Radiochemistry is central to applications in medicine, environment and energy. It includes the assembly of radionuclides and their compounds by processing irradiated materials or present radioactive materials, the appliance of chemical techniques to nuclear studies, and therefore the application of radioactivity for the exploration of chemical, biochemical or biomedical difficulties. Key topics include principles of radioactive decay, interactions of radiation with matter, radiation detectors, health physics, radioactive tracers, and sources of radioactive materials.
