Half Life Flashcards
What does half-life mean?
The time taken for half the unstable atoms to decay
What type of radiation would be used for monitoring the thickness of aluminium sheets and why?
Beta radiation because fewer particles will pass through when the aluminium thickness increases. It also has a long half life so the source will last a long time
What type of radiation would be used for a medical tracer and why?
Gamma radiation because it passes through the body easily and it’s half life is short so it will not remain in the body for a long time
What type of radiation would be used for smoke detectors and why?
Alpha radiation because it has a low enough penetrating power that it would be blocked by smoke and it has a long half life so the detector would remain active for a long time
