Atoms and Ionising Radiation

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  • Created by: naomi2310
  • Created on: 23-12-14 22:40
What are isotopes?
Atoms with the same number of protons but a different number of neutrons.
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If isotopes are radioactive, what does that mean?
It means it decays into other elements and gives out radiation
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Where do radioactive substance give out radiation from? Is it random or regulated?
From the nucleus, it's a random process
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What types of radiation are there?
Alpha, Beta, Gamma
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What physical factors are radiation affected by.
None.
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Where does background radiation come from? 3 answers please.
a) Naturally occuring unstable isotopes e.g rocks, food, building material. b) space, cosmic rays, mostly coming from the sun. c) man made sources, e.g fallout from nuclear weapons tests- chernobyl or dumped nuclear waste.
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What type of particles are alpha particles? (hint, it's an element)
Helium nuclei. 2 protons, 2 neutrons
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What particles are beta particles? (think atomic model)
Electrons
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Which particle is the slowest, and is the most ionising?
Alpha is big and slow movin', it doesn't penetrate very far into materials. It is strongly ionising, (creates lots of ions). Beta particles move fast and they're small. Gamma particles penetrate far into materials, and are weakly ioonising.
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For every beta particle emitted....
A neutron turns to a proton in the nucleus. With a charge of -1
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Alpha -->
4, 2 He
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Beta -->
0, -1 e (for electron)
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Why are gamma rays weakly ionising?
Because they tend to pass through materials rather than colliding with atoms.
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Other cards in this set

Card 2

Front

If isotopes are radioactive, what does that mean?

Back

It means it decays into other elements and gives out radiation

Card 3

Front

Where do radioactive substance give out radiation from? Is it random or regulated?

Back

Preview of the front of card 3

Card 4

Front

What types of radiation are there?

Back

Preview of the front of card 4

Card 5

Front

What physical factors are radiation affected by.

Back

Preview of the front of card 5
View more cards

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