Lecture 11 (Radioactive poisoning) Flashcards

1
Q

what are the 3 types of particles that get emitted during radiation from unstable atoms?

A

alpha (+) particles

beta (-) particles

gamma rays

X-rays

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2
Q

what is alpha decay?

A

alpha particle gets ejected

4 2 He

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3
Q

what is beta decay?

A

neutron converts into a neutron and electron, then the electron gets ejected

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4
Q

___ emit radiation

A

unstable atoms

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5
Q

unstable atoms emit ___

A

radiation

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6
Q

alpha particles are…

A

heavy short range particles

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7
Q

what is the alpha particle’s form?

A

an ejected helium nucleus

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8
Q

alpha particles (are / are not) penetrable to human skin

A

not penetrable

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9
Q

how can alpha particles enter human body?

A

inhalation, ingestion, open wounds

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10
Q

what probe is able to detect alpha particles?

A

Window Geiger-Mueller probe

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11
Q

what surface stops alpha particles?

A

paper

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12
Q

what elements emit alpha particles?

A

radium, radon, uranium, thorium

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13
Q

beta particles are…

A

light short range particles

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14
Q

beta particles are in the form of…

A

ejected electrons

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15
Q

how far can beta particles are usually travel?

A

several feet in the air

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16
Q

beta particles are ___ penetrating

they can penetrate skin to ___

A

moderately

can penetrate skin to germinal layer

17
Q

beta particles are harmful if…

A

deposited internally

18
Q

are beta particles hard to detect?

19
Q

what isotopes emit beta particles?

A

strontium-90

carbon-14

tritium

sulfur-35

20
Q

gamma rays and X-rays are…

A

highly penetrating electromagnetic waves

21
Q

gamma rays and X-rays are able to travel…

A

many feet in the air

22
Q

how deeply can gamma and X-rays penetrate human tissue?

A

many inches in human tissue

23
Q

what kind of materials can protect against gamma/X-rays?

A

dense materials

24
Q

are gamma/X-rays easily detectable?

25
what are gamma/X-rays?
by-products of alpha and beta decay
26
what isotopes emit gamma/X-rays?
iodine-131 cesium-137 cobalt-60 radium-226
27
what material can stop alpha particles?
paper
28
what material can stop beta particles?
aluminum foil
29
what material can stop gamma and x-rays?
lead
30
what kind of radiation does Polonium-210 emit?
alpha radiation (ionizing)
31
why is alpha radiation from PO-210 destructive?
generates reactive free radical ions
32
what do free radicals do?
cell membrane damage lipid peroxidation mitochondrial dysfunction --> cell death
33
what kind of product is Polonium-210 and when does it decay?
decay product of uranium decays in lead
34
mechanism of toxicity by PO-210 radiation affects the following body parts:
fast-growing cells (germinal layer of hair follicles) liver and kidney GI tract (toxic shock syndrome) heart acute --> organ failure chronic --> cancer
35
mechanism of PO-210 toxicity
damage to cell proteins by radicals
36
what species reveals cumulative exposure information?
turtle/tortoise shells near nuclear sites contain traces of Uranium-238, 235, 236 isotopes