Radioactivity- Radiation Flashcards
Alpha radiation α (a ______ nuclei or loss of two _______ and two ________) highly _________, low ___________, stopped by _____, range in air _ cm.
Alpha radiation α (a helium nuclei or loss of two protons and two neutrons) highly ionising, low penetration, stopped by paper, range in air 5 cm.
How do you calculate alpha decay?
Atomic mass decreases by 4
Atomic number decreases by 2
Beta radiation β (_________ formed when a neutron turns into a proton) mid _________
ability and mid ____________, stopped by _________, range in air _ metre
Beta radiation β (electron formed when a neutron turns into a proton) mid ionising
ability and mid penetration, stopped by aluminium, range in air 1 metre
How do you calculate beta decay?
Atomic mass stays the same
Atomic number increases by one
Gamma radiation γ (___ wave) low ________ ability, high ___________, stopped by
several inches of ____ or metres of ________, range in air _________.
Gamma radiation γ (EMS wave) low ionising ability, high penetration, stopped by
several inches of lead or metres of concrete, range in air unlimited.
Background radiation is ___-_____ radiation.
Background radiation is low-level radiation.
______________ is the unwanted presence of materials containing ____________ atoms on other materials. The object is ____________ as long as the contaminant is in contact with it.
Contamination is the unwanted presence of materials containing radioactive atoms on other materials. The object is radioactive as long as the contaminant is in contact with it.
____________ is the process of exposing an object to nuclear radiation. It does not cause the object to become ____________.
Irradiation is the process of exposing an object to nuclear radiation. It does not cause the object to become radioactive.
what is radioactive decay
some isotopes have an unstable nucleus
to become stable the nucleus gives out radiation
radioactive decay is a totally ______ process
radioactive decay is a totally random process
define activity
the rate at which a source of unstable nuclei decay
what is activity measured in
becquerel (Bq)
what can you use to measure the activity of a radioactive source
geiger- muller tube
what is the count rate
the number of decays recorded each second by the detector
what is an alpha particle the same as
a helium nuclei - 2 protons 2 neutrons
