P6.1 - Radioactive Emissions

Question 1

Why do isotopes decay?

Answer 1

Their nuclei are unstable

Question 2

What are the three types of nuclear emission?

Answer 2

Alpha
Beta
Gamma

Question 3

What is alpha radiation?

Answer 3

A helium nucleus

Question 4

What are the properties of alpha radiation?

Answer 4

Stopped by paper/skin
Heavily ionising
Slow

Question 5

What is beta radiation?

Answer 5

A fast-moving electron

Question 6

What are the properties of beta radiation?

Answer 6

Stopped by thin aluminium
Moderately ionising
Fast

Question 7

What is gamma radiation?

Answer 7

A high-energy EM wave

Question 8

What are the properties of gamma radiation?

Answer 8

Stopped by thick lead
Lightly ionising
Speed of light

Question 9

Which nuclear emission is the most harmful outside of the body?

Answer 9

Gamma

Question 10

Which nuclear emission is the most harmful inside of the body

Answer 10

Alpha

Question 11

What is the range of alpha radiation in the air?

Answer 11

A few cm

Question 12

What is the range of beta radiation in the air?

Answer 12

Around 1m

Question 13

What is the range of gamma radiation in the air?

Answer 13

Unlimited

Question 14

What are ionising radiations?

Answer 14

When a radiation collides with atoms, that can cause the atoms to lose electrons and form positively charged ions

Question 15

What is ionisation?

Answer 15

The process of turning a neutral atom/molecule into an ion

Question 16

Which radiation ionises the most and why?

Answer 16

Alpha because it interacts more with the gas atoms

Question 17

What is the relation between penetrating power of a radiation and its ionisation potential?

Answer 17

When one increases, the other decreases

Question 18

How can we separate the different radiations?

Answer 18

An electric field