Lecture 11 (Radioactive poisoning)

Question 1

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

Answer 1

alpha (+) particles

beta (-) particles

gamma rays

X-rays

Question 2

what is alpha decay?

Answer 2

alpha particle gets ejected

4 2 He

Question 3

what is beta decay?

Answer 3

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

Question 4

___ emit radiation

Answer 4

unstable atoms

Question 5

unstable atoms emit ___

Answer 5

radiation

Question 6

alpha particles are…

Answer 6

heavy short range particles

Question 7

what is the alpha particle’s form?

Answer 7

an ejected helium nucleus

Question 8

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

Answer 8

not penetrable

Question 9

how can alpha particles enter human body?

Answer 9

inhalation, ingestion, open wounds

Question 10

what probe is able to detect alpha particles?

Answer 10

Window Geiger-Mueller probe

Question 11

what surface stops alpha particles?

Answer 11

paper

Question 12

what elements emit alpha particles?

Answer 12

radium, radon, uranium, thorium

Question 13

beta particles are…

Answer 13

light short range particles

Question 14

beta particles are in the form of…

Answer 14

ejected electrons

Question 15

how far can beta particles are usually travel?

Answer 15

several feet in the air

Question 16

beta particles are ___ penetrating

they can penetrate skin to ___

Answer 16

moderately

can penetrate skin to germinal layer

Question 17

beta particles are harmful if…

Answer 17

deposited internally

Question 18

are beta particles hard to detect?

Answer 18

yes

Question 19

what isotopes emit beta particles?

Answer 19

strontium-90

carbon-14

tritium

sulfur-35

Question 20

gamma rays and X-rays are…

Answer 20

highly penetrating electromagnetic waves

Question 21

gamma rays and X-rays are able to travel…

Answer 21

many feet in the air

Question 22

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

Answer 22

many inches in human tissue

Question 23

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

Answer 23

dense materials

Question 24

are gamma/X-rays easily detectable?

Answer 24

yes

Question 25

what are gamma/X-rays?

Answer 25

by-products of alpha and beta decay

Question 26

what isotopes emit gamma/X-rays?

Answer 26

iodine-131
cesium-137
cobalt-60
radium-226

Question 27

what material can stop alpha particles?

Answer 27

paper

Question 28

what material can stop beta particles?

Answer 28

aluminum foil

Question 29

what material can stop gamma and x-rays?

Answer 29

lead

Question 30

what kind of radiation does Polonium-210 emit?

Answer 30

alpha radiation (ionizing)

Question 31

why is alpha radiation from PO-210 destructive?

Answer 31

generates reactive free radical ions

Question 32

what do free radicals do?

Answer 32

cell membrane damage

lipid peroxidation

mitochondrial dysfunction –> cell death

Question 33

what kind of product is Polonium-210 and when does it decay?

Answer 33

decay product of uranium

decays in lead

Question 34

mechanism of toxicity by PO-210 radiation

affects the following body parts:

Answer 34

fast-growing cells (germinal layer of hair follicles)

liver and kidney

GI tract (toxic shock syndrome)

heart

acute –> organ failure

chronic –> cancer

Question 35

mechanism of PO-210 toxicity

Answer 35

damage to cell proteins by radicals

Question 36

what species reveals cumulative exposure information?

Answer 36

turtle/tortoise shells near nuclear sites contain traces of

Uranium-238, 235, 236 isotopes