RADIOACTIVITY Flashcards
What are the three different types of radiation
Alpha, Gamma, Beta
Charge of Alpha Particle
Positive
Charge of Gamma Ray
Neutral / no charge
Charge of Beta Particle
Negative
What is radioactivity
Some atoms are considered radioactive, this means they are unstable and constantly give out radiation.
Penetration ability of Alpha Particle
Low penetration power, can be stopped by a sheet of paper, human skin, or even a few centimeters of air.
Because of large mass and charge, alpha particles interact strongly with the atoms of the material they pass through, As a result, alpha particles lose energy quickly, making them incapable of traveling very far or penetrating deeply into matter.
Penetration ability of Gamma Ray
High penetration power
Can pass through many materials, including human tissue, and require dense materials like lead or thick concrete to be effectively blocked.
Gamma radiation can penetrate several meters of air or a few centimeters of lead
Gamma rays are highly penetrating because they have no charge or mass, and they carry a significant amount of energy. This allows them to pass through matter without being easily stopped.
Penetration ability of Beta Particle
Moderate penetration, stopped by a few millimeters of plastic or metal.
Because they are lighter and have a smaller charge, beta particles interact less strongly with atoms than alpha particles do. As a result, they can penetrate materials like paper and skin more effectively.
Alpha particle deflection of electric and magnetic field
Alpha particles deflect in a curved path, because they have a larger mass they are deflected less than alpha particles. They have a +2 charge, meaning the direction of deflection depends on the direction of the magnetic field.
Beta Particle deflection of electric and magnetic field
Beta particles have greater deflection as they are lighter than Alpha particles.
If they are negatively charged (electrons), they will be deflected in the opposite direction compared to positively charged beta particles (positrons). The amount of deflection also depends on their speed (the faster they are, the less they are deflected).
Gamma Ray deflection of electric and magnetic field
No deflection, as it is neutral, meaning the magnetic field has no effect
Gamma rays are electromagnetic waves (photons), so they are not deflected by a magnetic field at all. Since they don’t have a charge, they just pass through unaffected by the magnetic field.
Why do Beta particles experience greater deflection than alpha particles
As beta particles are much lighter than alpha particles, meaning they will experience greater deflection
Ionising ability of alpha particle
Alpha particles are heavy, positively charged particles, they have large mass and charge, meaning they interact strongly with atoms and can easily knock electrons off the, creating ions. Because of their high ionising ability, alpha particles can ionise many atoms in a short distance, but they are also quickly stopped by a sheet of paper or even human skin.
Ionising ability of Beta particle
Moderate, beta particles are much lighter and carry a single negative of positive charge. Although they have enough energy to ionise atoms, their ability is not as strong as alpha particles.
Ionising ability of Gamma ray
Very low as they are high-energy electromagnetic radiation and are neutral, meaning they don’t directly interact with electrons in atoms the same way alpha and beta particles do. However gamma rays can still ionise atoms, but their ionising ability is much weaker.
