gamma ray Flashcards
What are gamma rays?
Gamma rays are electromagnetic radiations with the smallest wavelengths and the most energy in the electromagnetic spectrum.
How are gamma rays produced?
Gamma rays are produced by the hottest and most energetic objects in the universe, as well as by nuclear explosions, lightning, and radioactive decay.
What happens to gamma rays as they travel to Earth?
Gamma rays are absorbed by the Earth’s atmosphere, limiting our ability to observe them from the ground.
What instruments are used to observe gamma rays?
Instruments aboard high-altitude balloons and satellites, such as the Compton Observatory, are used to observe gamma rays.
What is Compton scattering?
Compton scattering is the process where a gamma ray strikes an electron, loses energy, and creates charged particles that can be detected.
What are the properties of gamma rays?
The properties of gamma rays include:
* Electromagnetic radiations of shorter wavelength
* No mass and charge
* Highly penetrating power
* Travel at the speed of light
* Capable of damaging biological cells and molecules
* Produce photoelectric effect when incident on solid surfaces.
Who discovered gamma rays?
Gamma rays were discovered by Paul Ulrich Villard in 1900 while studying radiation from radium.
What did Villard demonstrate regarding gamma rays?
Villard demonstrated that radiation emitted from radium salts consisted of multiple types, one being highly penetrating and identified later as gamma rays.
Who proposed the name ‘gamma rays’?
Ernest Rutherford proposed the name ‘gamma rays’ in 1903, differentiating them from alpha and beta rays based on their penetrating power.
What are some applications of gamma rays?
Applications of gamma rays include:
* Medicine (radiotherapy)
* Industry (sterilization and disinfection)
* Nuclear industry.
What is radiotherapy?
Radiotherapy is a cancer treatment using high doses of radiation to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors.
How are gamma rays used in the food industry?
Gamma rays are used for sterilization and disinfection by exposing food to ionizing radiation to destroy microorganisms.
What are the harmful effects of gamma rays?
Harmful effects of gamma rays include:
* High energy
* Penetrating power
* Damage to living cells
* Cancer risk.
What side effects can result from gamma ray radiation therapy?
Short-term side effects of radiation therapy may include skin changes, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and low blood cell counts.
What environmental effects can gamma rays have?
Gamma radiation can deplete the Earth’s ozone layer, increasing harmful solar ultraviolet radiation that damages DNA and causes sunburn.
