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Physics > Radiation > Flashcards

Radiation Flashcards

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1
Q

What are the 4 types of radiation?

A

Alpha, Beta, Gamma and Neutrons

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2
Q

Is an electron positively or negatively charged?

A

Negatively charged

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3
Q

Is a proton positively or negatively charged?

A

Positively charged

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4
Q

Is a neutron positively or negatively charged?

A

Neutral (no) charge

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5
Q

What does a nucleus contain?

A

Protons and neutrons

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6
Q

Where does nuclear radiation come from?

A

Nuclear radiation comes from the nucleus, which is inside an atom

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7
Q

What charge is an alpha particle?

A

Positively charged

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8
Q

What charge is a beta particle?

A

Negatively charged

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9
Q

What charge is gamma

A

No charge

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10
Q

Are alpha particles large compared to beta?

A

Yes

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11
Q

Are electrons (gamma radiation) compared to alpha particles large?

A

No, electrons are very small and light

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12
Q

Is Gamma radiation a particle?

A

No, gamma radiation is an electromagnetic wave

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13
Q

If alpha, beta, and gamma radiation pass through an electric field what terminal would they move towards?

A

Alpha would move towards the negative terminal. Beta would move towards the positive terminal. Gamma is undeflected.

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14
Q

What is ionisation?

A

Ionisation is when electrons are added or lost from an atom and the atom is then called an ion

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15
Q

What is created when an electron is added?

A

A negatively charged ion is created

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16
Q

What is created when an electron is lost?

A

A positively charge ion is created

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17
Q

What can cause ionisation?

A

Nuclear radiation

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18
Q

Why an atom is neutral ?

A

Because the number of protons and electrons is equal

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19
Q

What type of radiation causes the most ionisation?

A

Alpha radiation

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20
Q

How much ionisation does beta radiation cause?

A

Beta radiation causes less ionisation than alpha, but more ionisation than gamma radiation

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21
Q

What is used to detect radiation?

A

A Geiger-Muller tube is used to detect radiation

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22
Q

What happens when radiation passes through a material?

A

The energy of the radiation is absorbed by the material

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23
Q

What absorbs Alpha radiation?

A

A few cm of air or a pice of paper

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24
Q

What absorbs beta radiation?

A

A few mm of aluminium

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25
Q

What absorbs gamma radiation?

A

A few cm of lead or several meters of concrete

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26
Q

What can pass through 5cm of lead?

A

Alpha: No
Beta: No
Gamma: No, but small particles will still get through

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27
Q

What is background radiation?

A

Radiation from our surroundings (it is normally at a very low level).

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28
Q

What are examples of natural sources of radiation?

A

Radon gas, Buildings and the ground, Soil and plants, Animals, Cosmic rays

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29
Q

What are examples of artificial sources of radiation?

A

Medical radiotherapy and diagnostics, Nuclear power, Nuclear missiles

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30
Q

What is the average annual background radiation in Uk?

A

2.2mSv

31
Q

What is the annual effective does limit for members of the public?

A

1mSv

32
Q

What is the annual effective does limit for radiation worker?

A

20mSv

33
Q

Where should radioactive materials be stored?

A

They should be stored securely in lead lined containers

34
Q

True or false: The time of exposure to ionising radiation should not be limited

A

False

35
Q

What should sources be handled with?

A

Sources should be shielded and handled using tongs

36
Q

What should radioactive sources never be brought close to?

A

Radioactive sources should be kept away from the body and never brought close to your eyes

37
Q

What should the person doing the experiment wear?

A

Safety equipment

38
Q

What can monitor radiation exposure?

A

Radiation exposure can be monitored using film badges

39
Q

True or False: the radiation hazard symbol should be displayed

A

True

40
Q

What is radiotherapy?

A

Radiotherapy is the use of radiation to treat cancer

41
Q

What are the two main types of radiotherapy?

A

External and internal radiotherapy

42
Q

What is external radiotherapy?

A

External radiotherapy is where several small doses of radiation are directed at the tumour from different directions

43
Q

What happens to the surrounding organs and tissues during external radiotherapy?

A

Tissues and organs near the tumour should not be damaged since they receive a lower dose of radiation

44
Q

What is internal radiotherapy?

A

This targets the cancer cells by either implanting radioactive material into the tumour (brachytherapy) or by giving the patient injections of radioactive liquid which is absorbed by the cancer cells

45
Q

What is chemotherapy?

A

Chemotherapy is the use of drugs to kill cancer cells

46
Q

Is chemotherapy a form of radiotherapy?

A

Chemotherapy is not a form of radiotherapy

47
Q

What is half life?

A

The half life is the time taken for the activity of a radioactive source to fall to half of its previous value

48
Q

What are industrial applications of nuclear radiation?

A

Gauging devices, Non-destructive testing, Sterilisation, Scanning

49
Q

What are gauging devices?

A

The amount of radiation passing through a material can be measured. This gives an indication of the thickness of the material and or how much moisture it contains

50
Q

What is non-destructive testing?

A

A radioactive source can be placed on the inside of a pipe where a weld has been made. Photographic film on the outside can detect any defects in the weld.

51
Q

What is sterilisation?

A

Gamma radiation can be used to sterilise supplies used in hospitals or be used to kill bacteria on food.

52
Q

What is scanning?

A

People and luggage are scanned at airports to prevent dangerous items being carried on board a plane

53
Q

What are the two types of fission reaction?

A

Spontaneous fission
Induced fission

54
Q

When does fission occur?

A

Fission occurs when a heavy nucleus disintegrates leaving two or more smaller pieces plus two or three neutrons

55
Q

what type of fission happens when the nucleus is unstable?

A

Spontaneous fission

56
Q

What is induced fission?

A

Induced fission is where the reaction is triggered when a fast neutron collides with the nucleus, making it unstable

57
Q

Where is induced fission used?

A

This is used in nuclear power stations. When the nucleus splits some of the mass is ‘lost’-it has been converted into energy. This is in the form of heat

58
Q

What is the fission chain reaction?

A

The neutrons released by the fission reaction are fast moving and go on to collide with more nuclei

59
Q

What is used to slow the fission chain reaction down?

A

A material such as graphite is used to slow them down and increase the chance of further reactions happening

60
Q

What is used to manage the fission chain reaction?

A

The reaction is managed using other materials e.g. boron, which absorb some of the slow neutron

61
Q

What happens if the fission chain reaction is not kept under control?

A

If the reaction is not kept under control it will become larger and larger- potentially creating a bomb

62
Q

What is nuclear fusion?

A

Nuclear fusion is where two or smaller nuclei combine to form a larger nuclear

63
Q

True or false: nuclear fusion is the same as nuclear fission

A

False: Nuclear fusion is the opposite of nuclear fission

64
Q

Where does fusion take place?

A

Fusion takes place in the Sun and other stars

65
Q

Fusion- what happens when the nuclei fuse?

A

When the nuclei fuse some of the mass is ‘lost’- it has been converted directly into energy. This is in the form of heat

66
Q

True or false: nuclear fusion cannot be used to generate electricity

A

False: nuclear fusion can be used to generate electricity

67
Q

Nuclear fusion and power generation- would it be safer than nuclear fission? Why?

A

It would be safer than nuclear fission because there is no chain reaction and there would be little or no nuclear waste and no greenhouse gases. The fuel costs would also be low

68
Q

When a fusion reaction takes place what is created?

A

When a fusion reaction takes place a plasma is created

69
Q

How hot is a plasma?

A

A plasma is extremely hot- 150 million degrees Celsius

70
Q

How is a plasma contained?

A

A plasma must be contained by a doughnut shaped magnetic field

71
Q

Why must a plasma be contained?

A

To prevent it coming into contact with anything

72
Q

Is containing a plasma a complex process?

A

This is a complex process. Very high energy is also needed to reach these high temperatures

73
Q

Are fusion reactors a thing?

A

Scientists are developing fusion reactors but they are still at an experimental stage. In the future we may be able to use fusion reactors to generate electricity

74
Q

How is a Geiger-Muller tube used detect radiation?

A

When it is connected to a counter the amount of radiation can be measured. It does this by detecting ionisation of the gas inside the tube

Physics (5 decks)

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