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GCSE Physics > P8 Radiation > Flashcards

P8 Radiation Flashcards

1
Q

3 types of nuclear radiation

A

gamma
alpha
beta

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2
Q

what is gamma radiation

A

electromagnetic radiation from the nucleus

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3
Q

which type of nuclear radiation is the most ionising

A

alpha

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4
Q

what is the range (in air) of alpha radiation

A

a few centimetres

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5
Q

what is the range (in air) of beta radiation

A

1m

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6
Q

what is the range (in air) of gamma radiation

A

virtually unlimited

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7
Q

what can stop alpha radiation

A

a few sheets of paper

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8
Q

what can stop beta radiation

A

a few millimetres of aluminium

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9
Q

what can stop gamma radiation

A

several centimetres of thick lead OR meters of concrete

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10
Q

what is radioactive activity

A

rate at which a source of unstable nuclei decays

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11
Q

what unit is used to measure activity of a radioactive source

A

becquerel (Bq)

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12
Q

what is ‘count-rate’

A

number of decays recorded each second

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13
Q

what device records the number of decays per second

A

Geiger Muller tube

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14
Q

Where does background radiation come from

A

rocks
cosmic rays
fallout from nuclear weapons

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15
Q

why are gamma emitting sources used for medical tracers and imaging

A

gamma rays do not cause too much damage to cells

not ionising

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16
Q

what is nuclear fusion

A

when two small, light nuclei join together to make one heavy nucleus

17
Q

what is nuclear fission

A

splitting of a large unstable nucleus in to two smaller nuclei

18
Q

how does nuclear fission occur

A

an unstable nucleus absorbs a neutron,
it splits into smaller nuclei,
and emits 2 or three neutrons, plus gamma rays

19
Q

how can you prevent radioactive contamination?

A

shielding, removing or moving away from the source of radiation

20
Q

how are gamma emmiting tracers used in medecine?

A

injected or swallowed by patient
gamma cameras create an image of where the tracer has gone

21
Q

what is irradiation

A

exposing an object to nuclear radiation

22
Q

what is the ‘half life’ of a radioactive source

A

time taken for half the unstable nuclei to decay

23
Q

What is ionising radiation?

A

Can damage or kill cells

24
Q

what is activity of a radioactive substance

A

overall rate if decay of all the isotopes in a sample

25
Q

what is activity of a radioactive substance

A

overall rate if decay of all the isotopes in a sample

26
Q

what is activity measured in

A

Becquerel

27
Q

what is one becquerel equal to

A

1 decay per second

GCSE Physics (19 decks)

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