Ionising Radiation Flashcards
(22 cards)
What are the 2 main types of radiation?
Ionising and non-ionising
Give the 3 types of ionising radiation
Alpha, beta, and gamma
What are alpha particles?
Alpha particles are helium nuclei
What are beta particles?
Beta particles are high speed electrons released from the nucleus?
What are gamma rays?
Gamma rays are electromagnetic waves with a short wavelength
How many protons and neutrons do alpha particles have?
2 neutrons and 2 protons
Do alpha particles penetrate very far into materials?
Alpha particles don’t penetrate very far into materials and are stopped quickly.
How far can an alpha particle travel?
They can only travel a few centimetres in air
What absorbs alpha particles?
Paper
Why are alpha particles ionising?
Because of their size
When do alpha particles ionise atoms?
When they collide into them
How ionising are beta particles?
They are moderately ionising
how far can beta particles travel?
Beta particles can travel a few metres in the air
What absorbs beta particles?
A sheet of aluminium around 5 mm thick
What happens to a neutron in a nucleus when a beta particle is emitted?
For every beta particle emitted, a neutron in the nucleus has turned into a proton
What are beta emitters used for?
To test the thickness of sheets of metal
Do gamma rays have a short or long wavelength?
Short
Are gamma rays strong or weakly ionising?
Weak
Why are gamma rays weakly ionising?
Because they tend to pass through rather than collide with atoms eventually they hit something and do damage
What absorbs gamma rays?
Thick sheets of lead or metres of concrete
List the three ionising radiation from most to least ionising
Alpha, beta, and gamma
