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11E > Radiation and Risk > Flashcards

Radiation and Risk Flashcards

1
Q

Describe the structure of an atom

A

A nucleus of protons and neutrons surrounded by electron shells

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2
Q

What is a positive ion?

A

An atom which has lost one or more electrons

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3
Q

What is a negative ion?

A

An atom which has gained one or more electrons

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4
Q

State the three forms of radiation

A

Alpha, beta, gamma

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5
Q

Which form of radiation is the most penetrating?

A

Gamma (then beta, then alpha)

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6
Q

Which form of radiation has the furthest range?

A

Gamma (then beta, then alpha)

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7
Q

Which form of radiation is the most ionising?

A

Alpha (then beta, then gamma)

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8
Q

Which form of radiation is stopped by paper?

A

Alpha

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9
Q

Which form of radiation is stopped by aluminium foil?

A

Beta

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10
Q

Which form of radiation is reduced by thick lead?

A

Gamma

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11
Q

What is alpha radiation?

A

Two protons and two neutrons (a helium nucleus)

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12
Q

What is beta radiation?

A

Electron

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13
Q

What is gamma radiation?

A

Electromagnetic wave

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14
Q

State the use of alpha radiation

A

Smoke alarms

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15
Q

State the use of beta radiation

A

Controlling the thickness of sheet materials like paper

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16
Q

State the uses of gamma radiation

A

Treating cancer, sterilising medical equipment and food

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17
Q

How does alpha radiation affect an atom’s atomic mass?

A

Decreases it by 4

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18
Q

How does alpha radiation affect an atom’s proton number?

A

Decreases it by 2

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19
Q

How does beta radiation affect an atom’s mass?

A

Stays the same

20
Q

How does beta radiation affect an atom’s proton number?

A

Increases by 1

21
Q

Why does beta radiation increase an atom’s proton number?

A

A neutron decays to become a proton and an electron. The electron is emitted as radiation and the extra proton increases the proton number by one

22
Q

How does gamma radiation affect an atom’s mass?

A

Stays the same

23
Q

How does gamma radiation affect an atom’s proton number?

A

Stays the same

24
Q

Why doesn’t gamma radiation affect the mass or proton number of an atom?

A

It is a wave so has no mass

25
Q

Define half-life

A

The time taken for the number of raidoactive isotopes in a sample to halve

26
Q

Why do we use half-life to predict when a radioactive sample will become safe?

A

Nuclear decay is random, half-life gives us an estimate and we know that a radioactive sample will become safer after multiple half-lives

27
Q

State the units for nuclear decay

A

Becquerels (Bq)

28
Q

Define irradiation

A

When an object is exposed to radiation but does not become radioactive itself

29
Q

Define contamination

A

When radioactive material is transferred onto another object or organism and continues to emit radiation

30
Q

How can we prevent irradiation?

A

Store in a lead-lined box, use robotic arms when handling

31
Q

How can we prevent contamination?

A

Use tongs, wear gloves and protective suits when handling

32
Q

What do Sieverts (Sv) measure?

A

The dose of radiation

33
Q

Which type of radiation is more dangerous inside the body?

A

Alpha

34
Q

Which type of radiation is more dangerous outside the body?

A

Gamma

35
Q

State three sources of background radiation

A

Cosmic rays, rocks and soil, fallout from nuclear testing, living organisms

36
Q

What is a tumour?

A

Uncontrolled cell growth and division resulting in a lump

37
Q

What is a benign tumour?

A

A tumour which is not cancerous and stays in the same place, usually stops growing and is harmless unless its growth affects vital organs

38
Q

What is a malignant tumour?

A

A tumour which is cancerous and spreads around the body via blood

39
Q

What causes cancer?

A

Ionising radiation causes atoms in DNA to become ions, this damages DNA and causes mutations in cells, cells start to grow and divide uncontrollable to form a malignant tumour

40
Q

State two treatments for cancer

A

Chemotherapy (drugs) and radiotherapy (exposure to gamma radiation)

41
Q

Give three risk factors for cancer

A

Smoking, exposure to radiation, alcohol, family history/genetics

42
Q

What is a radioactive half life?

A

Time taken for half the radioactive nuclei to decay

43
Q

What stops alpha radiation?

A

Paper, skin

44
Q

What stops beta radiation?

A

Aluminium

45
Q

What stops gamma radiation?

A

Concrete, lead

11E (24 decks)

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