Radiation Types

Question 1

What are isotopes?

Answer 1

An atoms with the same number of protons but a different number of neutrons. Most isotopes are unstable and will emit radiation in a bid to become stable

Question 2

What is the symbol for alpha?

Answer 2

Question 3

What is alpha radiation made up of?

Answer 3

2 protons and 2 neutrons (helium nucleas)

Question 4

What is the range in the air for alpha radiation?

Answer 4

5-10 cm

Question 5

What will stop alpha radiation?

Answer 5

Paper

Question 6

How ionizing is Alpha radiation?

Answer 6

Highly

Question 7

What does the beta symbol look like?

Answer 7

Question 8

What is the range in air for beta radiation?

Answer 8

1 meter

Question 9

What will stop beta radiation?

Answer 9

3-5mm of aluminium

Question 10

How ionising is beta radiation?

Answer 10

Moderately

Question 11

What is beta radiation made up of?

Answer 11

A fast moving electron

Question 12

What is gamma radiation?

Answer 12

Energy in the form of waves

Question 13

What is the range of gamma radiation in the air?

Answer 13

Several kms

Question 14

What will stop gamma radiation?

Answer 14

5-10cm of lead or concrete

Question 15

How ionizing is gamma?

Answer 15

Weakly

Question 16

Which radiation type is most dangerous outside of the body?

Answer 16

Gamma radiation- it is most penetrating and is hardest to stop. It can penetrate through skin can cause damage to cells inside of the body

Question 17

Which radiation type is most dangerous inside the body?

Answer 17

Alpha because once inside the body it can not get out and as it is the most ionizing it is most likely to mutate cells and cause cancer.

Question 18

What happens during alpha emission?

Answer 18

If a nucleas emits an alpha particle, its mass number goes down by 4 and its atomic number goes down by 2 (make sure to practise doing some)

Question 19

What happens if a nucleas emits a beta particle?

Answer 19

It will lose a neutron as it changes to a proton. The mass number will stay the same and the atomic number will go up by 1. (Practise some)

Question 20

What happens during gamma emittion.

Answer 20

Gamma emittion occurs after an alpha or beta radiation occurs. It does not change its atomic structure but just removes energy from the nucleas. Gamma radiation has no mass or charge so none of these properties change during emission.

Question 21

Why is alpha radiation most ionizing?

Answer 21

Because of its large mass, it is most likely to bump into other particles and knock electrons from them