Radiation

Question 1

Radiation

Answer 1

The emission or travel of energy either as particles or electromagnetic waves

Question 2

Ionising Radiation

Answer 2

Has enough energy to strip electrons away from other atoms/molecules
e.g X-rays and gamma rays

Question 3

Non ionising radiation

Answer 3

Can interact with materials but it does not have enough energy to remove electrons
e.g Radiowaves, microwaves, infrared

Question 4

Risks/Benefits of both types of radiation

Answer 4

Ionising - can kill or cause cancer, allows us to see tissue and kill cancer cells
Non-ionising - Can cause burns, allows us to see and keep us warm

Question 5

Nuclear radiation

Answer 5

The release of radiation due to the breakdown of an atoms nucleus (nuclear decay)

Question 6

Nuclear fission

Answer 6

When struck by another particle the atom can split into two smaller atoms (release a lot of energy in heat and gamma radiation)

Question 7

Radioisotopes

Answer 7

Isotopes that are unstable and breakdown to release nuclear radiation

Question 8

Types of radiation produced by nuclear decay

Answer 8

Alpha rays
Beta rays
Gamma rays
X-rays

Question 9

Alpha rays

Answer 9

Made of helium nuclei which are released when radioisotopes decay their nucleus (2 protons and 2 neutrons)

Question 10

What stops alpha rays

Answer 10

Paper

Question 11

Beta rays

Answer 11

Rays of electrons that have been released from atoms where a neutron has turned into a proton due to nucleus decay

Question 12

What stops beta rays?

Answer 12

Metal

Question 13

Gamma rays

Answer 13

High frequency electromagnetic waves produced by photons that are released when an isotope has too much energy

Question 14

What stops gamma rays

Answer 14

Lead

Question 15

X-rays

Answer 15

emitted from electrons

Question 16

What stops x-rays?

Answer 16

Lead

Question 17

Radioactive half life

Answer 17

The time it takes for half a specific amount of radioisotope to decay into a stable form

Question 18

Biological half life of an isotope

Answer 18

The time it takes for half the radioisotope to be eliminated (removed) from the body via normal excretion. Depends on how the isotope is dealt with and excreted by body systems

Question 19

Direct damage to cells via radiation

Answer 19

Radiation can physically collide with components of the cell and break them apart, destroying their function and cell processes are disrupted

Question 20

Indirect damage to cells via radiation

Answer 20

Caused by ionising radiation. Alpha and beta particles passing by other molecules stripping electrons from them creating a molecule with a net positive charge which can form free radicals that induce oxidative damage

Question 21

3 big considerations working with radiation

Answer 21

Type
Time
Distance