Types of Radiation

Question 1

Describe a Beta particle

Answer 1

• Small
• Fast movement
• is stopped by skin

Question 2

Describe Gamma decay

Answer 2

• Gamma rays are not charged particles

- They are electromagnetic radiation

Question 3

What is a Photon

Answer 3

The smallest discrete amount or quantum of electromagnetic radiation. It is the basic unit of ligth and travels at the speed of light

Question 4

What is a Positron

Answer 4

A positively charged B+ particle resulting from B+ decay. It has the same properties as an election, only positively charged

Question 5

What is a Neutrino?

Answer 5

An almost massless, neutral particle formed in the nucleus during B+ decay

Question 6

What is an Antineutrino?

Answer 6

An almost massless, neutral particle formed inside the nucleus during B+ decay. It is the antimatter part of a neutrino

Question 7

Describe an alpha particle?

Answer 7

• Big particle
• Slow moving
• cant pass through paper
• Most ionising
• Travels a through cm through space

Question 8

What does Ionising in?

Answer 8

To ionise is to change the electron configuration of an atom by removing/adding electrons to an atom to create a charge

Removing an electron= adding enough energy so that the electron is capable of escaping the atom

Question 9

Describe non ionising radiation?

Answer 9

• Low energy (low frequency and high wavelength)

Question 10

Describe Ionising radiation?

Answer 10

• high frequency and low wavelength

Question 11

Describe a Geiger-Muller tube

Answer 11

• The tube is filled with argon gas at a low pressure

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Question 12

Absorbed Dose equasion

Answer 12

Absorbed Dose (D) = E/M

D= Absorbed dose (Gray, Gy) (old units: rad where 1Gy = 100 rad) 
E= energy (J)
M= mass (kg)

Question 13

What is dose equivalent?

Answer 13

Different types of radiation behave in different ways

Some units of radiation are equal to different amounts of others

Question 14

What are the weighing factor of different types of radiations?

Answer 14

Alpha= 20
Beta = 1
Gamma= 1

Question 15

Equation for does equivalent

Answer 15

DE = AD x QF

DE= equivalent dose (Sievert, Sv)
AD= absorbed dose(Gray, Gy)
QF= radiation quality factor or radiation weighing factor

Question 16

How does different dose equivalents effect your body?

Answer 16

0.25= Reduction in white blood cell count
1= Possible nausea, vomiting
4= Nausea, diarrhoea, drop in red blood cell count
5= Loss of hair, 50% die
10= Severe damage to central nervous system, death within days

Question 17

What is a Becquerel?

Answer 17

The number of nuclei which decay per second

1 Becquerel = 1 decay per second

Question 18

Rate of Decay equation (activity)

Answer 18

A = Ao (1/2)n

A= Activity or count rate of a radioactive sample
Ao= original activity or count rate of a radioactive sample
n= number of half lives elapsed

Question 19

Rate of Decay equation

Answer 19

N = No (1/2)n

N= Number of radioactive nuclei remaining
No= original number of radioactive Nuclei
n= number of half lives elapsed

Question 20

Describe Electric and Magnetic fields

Answer 20

Alpha radiation is heavy and due to its mass the particle will follow a large radius when influenced by an electric or magnetic field

Beta minus radiation being negative and lighter than an alpha particle is influenced in the opposite direction of the alpha and the radius is smaller+ tighter

Gamma having virtually more mass and no charge is not influenced at all by the presence of an eletric or magnetic field