Common beta emitters

Imagine you have a toy that shoots little paper balls. These paper balls are like particles that come out of certain materials called radioactive substances. Some of these particles are called beta particles.

Beta particles are like little "bullets" that are made up of some special building blocks called electrons. When these beta particles come out of radioactive substances, they can fly out very fast, just like when you push a ball hard.

Some materials have lots of these beta particles and they are called common beta emitters. These materials can be found in things like smoke detectors, medical treatments, nuclear power plants, and weapon production. They are not dangerous on their own, but if you get too close or spend too much time near them, they could hurt you.

So, it is very important to be careful around them and let adults handle them properly. Just like when you play with your toys, you always make sure to follow the rules to stay safe.