Half life Flashcards
1
Q
Why is ALPHA radiation used in smoke detectors?
A
- Very ionising to create the current.
* Least penetrating so will be blocked by smoke particles.
2
Q
Why is BETA used to TREAT cancer (Inside the body) ?
A
- Strongly ionising so it will kill the cells it is absorbed by.
- Moderately penetrating so it can pass through the whole tumour to kill all the cells without affecting healthy cells
3
Q
Why is GAMMA used to treat cancer (outside the body)
A
• Very penetrating so can pass through the body to reach the cancer cells. • Weakly ionising so it has less effect on the healthy cells.
