Topic 7 - Ionising Radiation Flashcards
what does nuclear radiation cause?
ionisation
how does nuclear radiation cause ionisation?
nuclear radiation comes into contact with atoms and knocks off electrons. this means atoms are turned into ions and become charged.
how can ionising radiation be detected?
using a Geiger–Müller detector or photographic film
what are alpha particles made up of?
2 protons and 2 neutrons - they are helium nuclei
how far do alpha particles penetrate?
not far - they are quickly stopped
how ionising are alpha particles?
strongly ionising
are alpha particles deflected?
yes - by electric and magnetic fields, because they are electrically charged
what does emitting an alpha particle do to the nucleus emitting it?
decreases the atomic number by 2 and the mass number by 4
what is a beta particle?
an electron emitted from the nucleus when a neutron turns into a proton and an electron
what does emitting a beta particle do to the nucleus emitting it?
increases the atomic number by 1 but doesn’t change the mass number
how far do beta particles penetrate?
moderately far - they are fast and small
how ionising are beta particles?
moderately
are beta particles deflected?
yes - they are negatively charged so are deflected by electric and magnetic fields
what mass do gamma rays have?
no mass - they are just energy
how far do gamma rays penetrate?
a long way
