Unit 3: Ionising Radiation - Sources and Uses
- Created by: rosieevie
- Created on: 12-04-15 13:11
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- Ionising Radiation
- Uses
- Nuclear reactions make electricity, propel ships and power satellites
- Cancer treatment
- Research tracing material movements using radio-labelling
- Hospital equipment sterelisation
- Measuring paper and steel thickness
- Production of artificial mutations in plant breeding programmes
- Sterilising male pest insects
- Sources
- Cosmic radiation (10%) - sun releases charged sub-atomic particles that release em radiation
- Gamma rays from lithosphere (14%) - radioactive isotopes release radiation (only gamma reaches us)
- Internal radiation from body (11%) - activation products enter via food and water and decay
- Radon from ground (50%) - decay of uranium atoms gaseous radon produced (long half life, releases alpha). May travel through cracks in building foundations and concentrate in rooms
- Medical exposure (14%) - x-rays, cancer treatment and tracking substances use radiation (benefits outweigh risks)
- Occupational exposure (0.3%) - high risk nuclear power, manufacturing, mining, medicine, research and airflight
- Weapon fallout (0.2%) - testing of nuclear explosives contaminates Earth's surface
- Consumer products (0.1%) - smoke detectors and camping gas mantles contain radionuclides
- Uses
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