Ionising radiation

Question 1

What are some examples of ionising radiation?

Answer 1

Gamma rays
X-ray
Ultra violet

Question 2

What is ionising radiation?

Answer 2

any type of particle or electromagnetic wave that carries enough energy to ionise (remove electrons from an atom)

Question 3

What 3 types of radiation are there?

Answer 3

Alpha
Beta
Gamma

Question 4

What is ionising power of alpha radiation?

Answer 4

very high

Question 5

What is ionising power of beta radiation?

Answer 5

weak

Question 6

What is ionising power of Gamma radiation?

Answer 6

weak

Question 7

What is the range in air of alpha radiation?

Answer 7

5cm

Question 8

What is the range in air of beta radiation?

Answer 8

20cm

Question 9

What is the range in air of gamma radiation?

Answer 9

long

Question 10

What is the penetration of alpha radiation?

Answer 10

Stop by skin cell layer
Paper

Question 11

What is the penetration of beta radiation?

Answer 11

Low penetration - stopped by aluminium

Question 12

What is the penetration of gamma radiation?

Answer 12

Very high velocity and low wave length means it has high penetration
Stopped by Lead

Question 13

What are some sources of radiation?

Answer 13

Radon gas
Space
Earth
Human
Medicine (X-ray and nuclear)
Consumer products

Question 14

How much of radiation is form natural sources?

Answer 14

81%

Question 15

How much radiation is from human sources?

Answer 15

19%

Question 16

What are the main natural sources of radiation?

Answer 16

Igneous rock ,granite
Uranium rich sedimentary rock e.g. sandstone

Question 17

How does granite and sandstone release radiation?

Answer 17

When granite is weathered radon gas (trapped inside) can easily escape
When sandstone is weathered uranium can be released into water

Question 18

What are the 6 main uses for radioactive material?

Answer 18

Power industry
Scientific research
Medical uses
Food industry
Dating of rocks
Industry

Question 19

How does the power industry uses radioactive material?

Answer 19

Uranium in nuclear power generation

Question 20

How is radioactive material used in scientific research?

Answer 20

Radioactive isotopes used to see pollution movement

Question 21

What are the medical uses of radioactive material?

Answer 21

X-rays
Sterilising equipment
Cancer treatment

Question 22

How is radioactive material used in the food industry?

Answer 22

Irradiating food to kill bacteria and fungi

Question 23

What can radioactive material be used to date?

Answer 23

Rocks
Bones
Pottery

Question 24

What is used to date things using radioactive material?

Answer 24

Carbon 14

Question 25

How is radioactive material used in industry?

Answer 25

Strengthening polymers

Question 26

What 4 factors affect the danger of radiation?

Answer 26

Range and penetrating power Half life of the radiation State of matter Internal or external route into body

Question 27

What route into the body is worst for radiation internal or external?

Answer 27

Internal as more organs to pass through

Question 28

What is half life?

Answer 28

time it takes for half of the unstable nuclei in a sample to decay

Question 29

What is the process of ionisation?

Answer 29

An ionising radiation knocks electrons off atoms disrupting the structure of the molecules

Question 30

What is the problem with free radicals?

Answer 30

They move quickly, are highly reactive and can damage molecules such as proteins and DNA

Question 31

What is the problem with free radicals affecting proteins or DNA?

Answer 31

Proteins- cell death or enzyme disruption DNA- Mutations (tumours)

Question 32

What type of radiation is released by radon gas?

Answer 32

Alpha

Question 33

How can Radon gas affect lung cells?

Answer 33

If alpha particles are inhaled

Question 34

What is the second biggest cause of lung cancer?

Answer 34

Radon gas

Question 35

What is the length of time of acute radiation exposure?

Answer 35

Short term

Question 36

What is the length of exposure for chronic radiation?

Answer 36

Long term

Question 37

What is the level of dosage for acute radiation exposure?

Answer 37

Large dose

Question 38

What is the level of dosage for chronic radiation exposure?

Answer 38

Small dose

Question 39

What are the effects of acute radiation poisoning?

Answer 39

Haemorrhages (internal bleeding) Hair loss Death

Question 40

What are the effects of chronic radiation poisoning?

Answer 40

Gonadic and somatic mutations

Question 41

What is risk benefit analysis for radiation?

Answer 41

Using benefit poses risks if benefit outweighs risk then it’s justified

Question 42

What is the Separation associated with risk benefit analysis with radiation?

Answer 42

People who endure the risk may not be the same as those who take it e.g. uranium miners may not be in the same country as those who receive the electricity produced from it

Question 43

What are the problems with risk benefit analysis?

Answer 43

Uncertainty about long term effects of exposure to low level radiation Temporal mismatch

Question 44

What is temporal mismatch?

Answer 44

we may not understand the risks of using radioactive material until decades later

Question 45

What are some control methods for ionising radiation?

Answer 45

Protective clothing Remote handling using (reduce human contact) Closed sources - radioactive material kept in sealed container Minimising exposure period Maximise distance from source

Question 46

Why might air crew not be able to properly protect themselves from cosmic radiation?

Answer 46

As full protective clothing it might frighten passengers thus reducing sales

Question 47

What does doubling distance from source do to exposure?

Answer 47

Reduces it by 75%

Question 48

How can radioactive effluent be monitored?

Answer 48

CPA- critical pathways analysis

Question 49

What does CPA identify?

Answer 49

possible environmental routes, radioactive materials may take after release

Question 50

What can we not assume with CPA?

Answer 50

that any pollutant released into the environment will be dispersed and diluted so that the risks are reduced to low levels of significance

Question 51

What factors will inform CPA?

Answer 51

Physical state (solid. liquid gas) Density Meteorlogical/ water currents Geology (porous/ permeable) Bioaccumulation Half-life

Question 52

What can be done to asses contamination risk on humans?

Answer 52

Critical groups

Question 53

What are critical groups?

Answer 53

members of the public who are considered particulalry at risk of radiation because of job. location, food or water source.

Question 54

When using critical groups how do you know if action needs to be taken?

Answer 54

if the critical group are not being exposed to too much no one else will

Question 55

What would the critical group be for a nuclear power plant?

Answer 55

Those who live near the station and eat local food

Question 56

What local food would be assessed as part of CPA?

Answer 56

Milk Fruit Honey

Question 57

Who will not be included as part of critical group monitoring?

Answer 57

occupational workers who are monitored in different ways

Question 58

What 3 agencies monitor radiation pollution?

Answer 58

Department for environmental food & rural effects Food standards agency Environment agency

Question 59

What do department for environmental food & rural affects monitor? (radiation)

Answer 59

discharge from power stations and radon gas within houses

Question 60

What does the environment agency monitor? (radiation)

Answer 60

routinely monitors radiation levels in soil, grass, dust, water and air

Question 61

What does the food standards agency monitor? (radiation)

Answer 61

radiation levels in food across UK (only UK grown near potential source)

Question 62

What is the problem with using CPA to set acceptable levels?

Answer 62

Assumes everywhere is safe Assumes all pathways have been accurately predicted