Atoms and Radiation

Question 1

what is an isotope?

Answer 1

An isotope is a different form of the same element, it has the same number of protons different number of neutrons

Question 2

what is background radiation?

Answer 2

Background radiation is radiation that is all around us from unstable isotopes, space and man-made sources

Question 3

what are the three types of radiation?

Answer 3

Alpha, Beta and Gamma

Question 4

name three locations where there is lots of radiation

Answer 4

1. High altitudes
2. Underground
3. Nuclear industry

Question 5

what is alpha radiation?

Answer 5

Alpha particles have two protons and two neutrons and are relatively big and heavy and slow moving. They don’t penetrate very far into materials, because of their size they are strongly ionising which means the y bash into atoms a lot. In the equation it loses 4, loses 2

Question 6

what is beta radiation?

Answer 6

Beta particles move quite fast and are quite small they penetrate moderate materials before colliding and have long range in the air. For every beta particle emitted a neutron turns into a proton in the nucleus

Question 7

what is gamma radiation?

Answer 7

Gamma particles are fast and very small and are the most dangerous as they penetrate materials easily without being stopped, this means that they are weakly ionising but eventually hit something and do damage

Question 8

what are alpha and beta particles deflected by?

Answer 8

Electric and magnetic field due to the opposite charge

Question 9

what is a half-life?

Answer 9

A half life is the average time it takes for the number of nuclei in a radioactive isotope sample to half

Question 10

give four ways radiation can be used

Answer 10

1. Smoke detectors ( alpha blocks)
2. Tracers in medicine (gamma or beta)
3. Radiotherapy (gamma)
4. Sterilisation (gamma)

Question 11

how does radiation harm living cells?

Answer 11

Alpha, beta and gamma radiation can enter living cells and ionises the molecules changing and destroying them so that they no longer work this can cause cancer and other radiation sickness

Question 12

what are the safety precautions for radiation?

Answer 12

1. Short time and minimum exposure
2. No contact with skin
3. Point source away and don’t look directly at it
4. Keep as far away as possible
5. Keep in a lead box (radiation proof)