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What do you think of radiation?

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What is radiation?
The term radiation (also known as nuclear radiation) refers
to the particles or waves emitted by radioactive substances.
Nuclear radiation comes from the
nucleus of a radioactive atom.

electron

An atom has electrons orbiting

the outside and a central
nucleus, which is made up of
protons and neutrons.

proton
neutron

In a radioactive atom, the nucleus is unstable and so it emits

particles or waves to form a more stable atom.
This process is called radioactivity or radioactive decay.
It is a natural and completely spontaneous process.

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How can radiation be detected?

Radiation is all around us naturally occurring, and manmade sources, but it is invisible, so how do we actually know
its there?
The effects of radiation can be
seen and so it can detected
using instruments such as a
Geiger-Mller tube.
This is a device that can
detect and measure radiation.
Radioactivity can also be detected by the presence of
photographic film, which darkens when struck by radiation.
This effect led to the initial discovery of radioactivity more
than one hundred years ago.
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The discovery of radioactivity

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What is radioactive decay?

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How do materials affect radiation?

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How do magnetic fields affect radiation?

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What is alpha () radiation?

Description

2 neutrons, 2 protons
Note: An alpha particle is the
same as a helium nucleus

Electric charge

+2

Relative atomic mass 4

Penetrating power

Stopped by paper or a few

centimetres of air

Ionizing effect

Strongly ionizing

Effect of magnetic/
electric field

Weakly deflected

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What is beta () radiation?

Description

High energy electron

Electric charge

-1

Relative atomic mass 1/1860

Penetrating power

Stopped by a few millimetres

of aluminium

Ionizing effect

Weakly ionizing

Effect of magnetic/
electric field

Strongly deflected

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Gamma () radiation
Description

High energy electromagnetic

radiation

Electric charge

Relative atomic mass 0

Penetrating power

Stopped by several centimetres of

lead or several metres of concrete

Ionizing effect

Very weakly ionizing

Effect of magnetic/
electric field

Not deflected

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Types of radiation and penetrating power

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Types of radiation and range in air

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What is radiation used for?

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How can radiation detect a fire?

Smoke alarms contain a weak source of alpha radiation.
The alpha particles ionize the air.
If there is smoke present, it
interacts with the ions produced
by the alpha particles and
ionization is reduced.
smoke
particle

This means that less current is

flowing through the air, which
causes the alarm to sound.
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How is radiation used in making paper?

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How can radiation find leaks in pipes?

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How can radiation detect cracks?

Gamma rays can also be used
to detect cracks after an
object has been welded.
Gamma rays are like X-rays.
welded
metal pipe

welding flaws
If a gamma source is placed
on one side of the welded
metal, and a photographic
film on the other side, any
flaws will show up on the film
like an X-ray.

photographic film
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How is radiation used for sterilization?

Gamma rays are used to kill
bacteria, mould and insects in food.
This can be done even after the
food has been packaged. It can
affect the taste, but supermarkets
like it because it lengthens the shelf
life.
Gamma rays are also used to
kill bacteria on medical
equipment.
It is particularly useful with
plastic equipment that would be
damaged by heat sterilization.
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Uses of radiation activity

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Dangers of ionizing radiations

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Dangers of ionizing radiations activity

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Radiation safety
The three types of radiation differ in their effects and
physical nature.
All radioactive sources must be handled safely.
The hazard symbol for radiation is shown below:

As well as the normal laboratory safety rules you follow, are

there any extra rules concerning radioactivity?

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How are radioactive sources used safely?

Radioactive materials could be very dangerous to handle
if no safety precautions were taken.
This is because people and their clothing could become
contaminated.
The safety precautions are:
keep exposure times as short as possible
monitor exposure with a film dose badge
label radioactive sources clearly
store radioactive sources in
shielded containers
wear protective clothing
use tongs or a robotic arm to
handle radioactive materials.
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Background radiation
Background radiation is the radiation all around us.
Most of the radioactivity you are exposed to is from natural
sources.
How many different sources of background radiation can you
think of?

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Calculating background radiation

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Glossary
alpha radiation Positively charged particles made up of
two protons and two neutrons.

background radiation Constant low-level radiation

from food and environmental sources.

beta radiation High-energy electrons emitted by some

radioactive materials.

gamma radiation Short-wavelength electromagnetic

radiation emitted during radioactive decay.

Geiger-Mller tube A device used to detect and

measure radiation from radioactive materials.

ionizing radiation High-energy radiation capable of

ionizing substances through which it passes.

radioactivity The spontaneous emission of radiation

from the nucleus of an unstable atom.
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Anagrams

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Multiple-choice quiz

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