Radioactivity and Particles

Question 1

Describe the nature of Alpha particles?

Answer 1

1) Helium nuclei
2) Low penetrating power
3) Highly ionising
4) Emitting an alpha particle decreases the atomic number of the nucleus by 2

Question 2

Describe the nature of beta particles?

Answer 2

1) Is an electron
2) Moderate penetrating power
3) Moderately ionising

Question 3

Describe the nature of gamma rays?

Answer 3

1) Doesn’t have a mass
2) High penetrating power
3) Low ionising power

Question 4

What machine can detect radiation sources?

Answer 4

Geiger-Muller detector

Question 5

What are some sources of background radiation?

Answer 5

Stars, bananas, smoke detectors

Question 6

What is the definition of half life and what is it measured in?

Answer 6

Time taken for half of the radioactive atoms to decay, Becquerels

Question 7

What are some uses of radiation in medicine?

Answer 7

X-rays, treat cancer through chemo

Question 8

What is irradiation?

Answer 8

When something is exposed to radiation

Question 9

What is contamination?

Answer 9

When radiation gets onto an object that is unwanted

Question 10

What stops alpha particles?

Answer 10

Paper

Question 11

What stops beta particles?

Answer 11

Aluminium

Question 12

What stops gamma rays?

Answer 12

Thick lead or thick concrete

Question 13

What are the dangers of radiation?

Answer 13

Cause mutations
Damage cells and tissue
Harm the environment when being disposed(if not done properly)

Question 14

What do nuclear power stations use?

Answer 14

Fission chain reactions

Question 15

What is nuclear fission?

Answer 15

Splitting of an atom which releases energy. It often uses uranium-235. When uranium-235 is split it produces two new daughter nuclei which are radioactive. This releases lots of kinetic energy stores

Question 16

How are nuclear reactors kept safe.

Answer 16

Shielding
Control rods
Moderators

Question 17

What does shielding do?

Answer 17

Absorb the ionising radiation

Question 18

What do control rods do?

Answer 18

Made of boron and limit the rate of fission by absorbing excess neutrons

Question 19

What do moderators do?

Answer 19

Usually graphite or water, slows the neutrons down

Question 20

How does nuclear fusion work?

Answer 20

Two nuclei collide at high speeds to fuse creating a larger nuclei. The new nuclei has les mass as the rest of the mass is converted into lots of energy

Question 21

Why is nuclear fusion hard to do?

Answer 21

It requires high temperature and high pressures which make it useless as it would use more energy than released

Question 22

Where is nuclear fusion found naturally?

Answer 22

In stars