6.1.2 - Alpha, Beta, Gamma

Question 1

What does it mean if an atom is stable?

Answer 1

It does not break down or decay.

Question 2

What do the nuclei of an atom that is unstable emit?

Answer 2

Radiation.

Question 3

What is the name given to particles that emit radiation?

Answer 3

Radioactive.

Question 4

What type of radiation is alpha?

Answer 4

Particle.

Question 5

What is the symbol for alpha?

Answer 5

α

Question 6

What is alpha?

Answer 6

The nucleus of a helium atom.

Question 7

What is the equation symbol for alpha?

Answer 7

4 He

2

Question 8

What type of radiation is beta?

Answer 8

Particle.

Question 9

What is the symbol for beta?

Answer 9

β

Question 10

What is beta?

Answer 10

A fast-moving electron.

Question 11

What is the equation symbol for beta?

Answer 11

0 e

-1

Question 12

What type of radiation is gamma?

Answer 12

Electromagnetic wave.

Question 13

What is the symbol for gamma?

Answer 13

γ

Question 14

What is gamma?

Answer 14

A wave of the electromagnetic spectrum.

Question 15

What is the equation symbol for gamma?

Answer 15

None.

Question 16

What type of radiation is a neutron?

Answer 16

Particle.

Question 17

What is the symbol for a neutron?

Answer 17

n.

Question 18

What is a neutron?

Answer 18

A particle in the nucleus.

Question 19

What is the equation symbol for a neutron?

Answer 19

1 n

0

Question 20

In all of the equation symbols, what does the top number mean?

Answer 20

The mass relative to a proton.

Question 21

In all of the equation symbols, what does the bottom number mean?

Answer 21

The charge.

Question 22

What is the question posed by the fact that a nucleus does not contain electrons.

Answer 22

Where does the beta particle come from.

Question 23

Are neutrons stable?

Answer 23

No.

Question 24

Neutrons are not stable, what can they decay to make?

Answer 24

A proton and an electron.

Question 25

What do you detect radiation with?

Answer 25

A Geiger counter.

Question 26

What happens when radiation enters a Geiger counter?

Answer 26

A click.

Question 27

What is each click of the Geiger counter?

Answer 27

A tiny current produced when the radiation ionises atoms of the gas inside the tube.

Question 28

What will stop an alpha radiation?

Answer 28

A few sheets of paper or a few cms of air.

Question 29

What will stop a beta radiation?

Answer 29

A few mms of aluminium.

Question 30

What will stop gamma radiation?

Answer 30

A few cms of lead or a few ms of concrete. But some still ay get through.

Question 31

What is the radiation emitted by radioactive material?

Answer 31

Ionising radiation.

Question 32

What does ionising radiation mean?

Answer 32

The radiation can remove electrons from atoms to produce positively charged ions.

Question 33

What is an alpha ionising power? | Range?

Answer 33

Large. | Short.

Question 34

What is a beta ionising power? | Range?

Answer 34

Medium. | Medium.

Question 35

What is a gamma ionising power? | Range?

Answer 35

Low. | Long.

Question 36

What do you have to do to an atom to ionise it?

Answer 36

Transfer energy to it.