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N5 physics > Radiation > Flashcards

Radiation Flashcards

1
Q

State one detector of gamma radiation

A

Photographic film
GM tube
Bubble chamber

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2
Q

State one source of gamma radiation

A

Stars
Some radioactive substances (e.g. Cobalt 60)

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3
Q

State one use for gamma radiation

A

Used as a tracer in medicine
Used to treat cancer
Sterilisation of surgical operating instruments

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4
Q

What are the 3 types of ionising radiation?

A

Alpha
Beta
Gamma

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5
Q

What is alpha radiation?

A

It is a helium nucleus

(2 protons and 2 neutrons)

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6
Q

What is beta radiation?

A

A fast moving electron

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7
Q

What is gamma radiation?

A

It is a high frequency, high energy wave and part of the electromagnetic spectrum

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8
Q

What is meant by ionisation?

A

It is the gain or loss of an electron from an atom

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9
Q

Which is the most ionising radiation?

A

alpha

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10
Q

Which is the least ionising radiation?

A

Gamma

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11
Q

State 3 detectors if ionising radiation

A

Photographic film
GM tube
Scintillation counter

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12
Q

What will absorb gamma radiation?

A

Several centimetres of lead

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13
Q

What will absorb beta radiation?

A

A few millimetres of aluminium

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14
Q

What will absorb alpha radiation?

A

A few centimetres of air or a sheet of paper

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15
Q

What is meant by shielding?

A

Shielding means having something that will absorb radiation between you and the source of the radiation

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15
Q

What will the amount of shielding required depend on?

A

The amount of energy the radiation has

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15
Q

How can you reduce your exposure to radiation when you are working with it?

A

Limit the time you have the source out (only get it when you need it)
Only handle using tongs
Keep the source at arms length

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15
Q

What is meant by background radiation?

A

It is the radiation that is all around us

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16
Q

State a source of man-made background radiation

A

Nuclear weapons testing
Waste from the nuclear power industry
Medical uses: having an x-ray, CT scan, etc

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16
Q

State a source of natural background radiation

A

Cosmic rays: radiation from the sun and outer space
Radon gas: from rocks underground
Food: can be slightly radioactive because of the soil it has been grown in

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16
Q

What is equivalent dose?

A

It is a way of taking into account the absorbed dose and the type of radiation you are exposed to

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16
Q

What is the radiation weighting factor?

A

A number which takes into account the type of radiation you are exposed to

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16
Q

What is meant by absorbed dose?

A

The energy absorbed per unit mass (of tissue)

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17
Q

What is the link between the radiation weighting factor and the ionisation caused by a source?

A

The more ionising the radiation, the higher the radiation weighting factor

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18
Q

What is meant by equivalent dose rate?

A

Equivalent dose absorbed per unit time

18
Q

Give 2 uses for ionising radiation

A

Gamma rays are used for radiotherapy which can treat cancer
Thickness control of paper or metal sheeting
Gamma can be used to sterilise medical instruments

18
Q

What is meant by the activity of a source?

A

It is the number of radioactive decays per second

18
Q

What is meant by the half-life of a source?

A

It is the time it takes for the activity of a source to decrease by half

19
Q

What is meant by fission?

A

A nucleus of a large mass number splits into 2 nuclei of smaller mass numbers with the release of energy and neutrons

20
Q

What is meant by fusion?

A

2 nuclei of smaller mass numbers combine to form a nucleus of larger mass number with the release of energy

21
Q

What is the fuel in a nuclear fission reactor?

A

Uranium

22
Q

Give an advantage of producing electricity using a nuclear fission reactor

A

Do not produce greenhouse gases
Do not rely on fossil fuels which a in short supply
Huge amounts of energy are produced from a small amount of fuel

22
Q

How does a nuclear fission power station produce electrical energy?

A

The reactor uses fission of uranium to produce large amounts of heat energy
The heat energy is used to heat water
The heated water turns into steam and is piped to a turbine

23
Q

Give a disadvantage of producing electricity using a nuclear fission reactor

A

The waste produced is radioactive
It has to be stored safely for a long time
Uranium in a non renewable fuel

24
Q

What are the products in a fission reaction in a nuclear reactor?

A

Fission fragments (smaller mass nuclei/daughter nuclei)
Heat energy
More neutrons

25
Q

What particles are found in the nucleus?

A

Protons and neutrons

26
Q

What is the charge on an alpha particle?

A

Positive

26
Q

What is the charge on a beta particle?

A

Negative

26
Q

What is the charge on a gamma ray?

A

No charge

26
Q

What precautions should be taken when storing a radioactive source?

A

Source should be clearly labelled as to type
Stored in lead lined boxes

27
Q

What is meant by corrected count rate?

A

It is when background radiation is subtracted from the radiation measured so that the reading is caused by the source only and not the background radiation

27
Q

What is the annual effective dose of the average annual background radiation in the U.K.?

A

2.2 mSv

27
Q

What is the annual effective dose limit for a radiation worker?

A

20 mSv

28
Q

What is the annual effective dose limit for a member of the public?

A

1 mSv

29
Q

State one method of monitoring exposure to radiation

A

Radiation film badge

29
Q

What is the impact of ionising radiation on living cells?

A

It can kill them

29
Q

Explain how a radiation film badge is used to monitor the exposure to radiation

A

The darker the photographic film turns on the badge, the more radiation it has been exposed to

29
Q

State the equipment you would need to measure the half life of a source

A

Timer
GM tube and counter
Source of radiation

30
Q

Explain an experiment to measure the half life of a source

A

With no source present, record the number of counts in 1 minute using the GM tube and counter.
This is the background radiation.
Put source in position.
The stop clock and the counter are started at the same time
Take a reading of the counts per minute every minute.
Do this for 10 minutes
The background radiation is subtracted from each of the readings so that the counts per minute for the source only are recorded

31
Q

Where does the energy come from in a fission and a fusion reaction?

A

Some of the mass is converted into energy

32
Q

What is meant by a chain reaction?

A

A neutron causes fission and releases more neutrons. The neutrons produced in the fission reaction go on to cause their own fission reactions

33
Q

State 2 issues that must be overcome in fusion reactors

A

The high temperatures required
The high pressures required

34
Q

Why is containment an issue for fusion reactors?

A

The high temperatures of the plasma would vaporise any materials that we currently know

35
Q

Explain how a fusion reactor could generate electrical energy

A

At high temperature and pressure small nuclei join together
This releases huge amounts of heat (nuclear energy transferred to heat energy)
The heat energy is used to heat water and turn it into steam

35
Q

State an advantage of a fission reactor

A

Releases massive amounts of energy
It is sustainable (unlikely to run out of fuel)
No greenhouse gases
No risk of meltdown

36
Q

What is activity

A

the number of nuclear disintegrations in a period of time.

36
Q

How can activity be measured

A

Activity can be measured using a Geiger-Muller tube, also called a Geiger counter.

36
Q

Activity=

A

number of disintegrations/time

37
Q

Absorbed dose=

A

Energy/Unit mass of material

37
Q

Equivalent dose=

A

Absorbed Dose x Radiation Weighting Factor.

38
Q

When does a fusion reaction occur

A

Fusion reactions occur when two small nuclei combine and fuse together to form a larger nucleus. This causes a large release of energy.

This is the reaction that creates the energy within the Sun.

39
Q

What are Fission reactions

A

Fission reactions are chain reactions, where a neutron collides with a large atom nucleus, releasing a large amount of energy and causing the nucleus to split into smaller atoms. More neutrons are released, causing more collisions with large nuclei.

This is the reaction harnessed in nuclear bombs.

N5 physics (8 decks)

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