Created by ella stokes
over 6 years ago
|
||
Question | Answer |
what is an unstable nuclei | some atomic nuclei are unstable and give out radiation in order to become more stable |
what does the type of radiation emitted depend on | it depends on why the nucleus is unstable and is a random process |
what is the activity of a radioactive source | the activity of a radioactive source is the rate at which it decays. It is measured in becquerels |
what is one becquerel equivalent to | its equivalent to one decay per second |
what is the count rate | it is the number of decays recorded each second by a detector |
what is one becquerel also equivalent to | one count per second |
what are the three main types of nuclear radiation | -alpha -beta -gamma |
what does each type of radiation consist of | different particles or electromagnetic radiation |
what do they all have in common | they are all ionising which means they are capable of knocking electrons from atoms |
which one is the most and lest ionising | -alpha is the most ionising -gamma is the least ionising |
list the components and hazards for -alpha beta -gamma |
Image:
Nom (binary/octet-stream)
|
what are gamma, beta and alpha radiation able to pass through |
Image:
Rays (binary/octet-stream)
|
what is the fourth type of nuclear radiation | a neutron which can be emitted during a radioactive decay |
what is radioactive contamination | it is the unwanted presence of materials containing radioactive atoms on other materials |
what is the hazard from contamination due to | its due to the decay of contaminating atoms.. the type of radiation emited effects the hazard |
what is irradation | -is the process of exposing an object to nuclear radiation -can be deliberate or accidental -does not cause the object to become radioactive |
when using radioactive sources it is important to protect against unwanted irradiation.. how can you do this | -using sources of the lowest activity possible for the shortest amount of time possible -wearing appropriate protective clothing such as a led apron -not handling sources with bear hands |
compare the hazards associated with contamination and irradiation | -food contaminated with an alpha source would be more hazardous than food contaminated with a gamma source, because alpha radiation is more strongly ionising -an area contaminated with an alpha source would not be dangerous, unless it was entered, due to the low penetration of alpha radiation. However if it was contaminated with a source that emitted gamma radiation, this would irradiate people near by |
Want to create your own Flashcards for free with GoConqr? Learn more.