Physics (GCSE) Revision (Radioactivity)
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Some substances give out radiation all the time, whatever is done to them. They are said to be . . . | radioactive. | show 🗑
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There are three types of radiation emitted by radioactive sources . . . | alpha, beta and gamma. | show 🗑
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Alpha radiation is easily absorbed by . . . | show | They are easily stopped by your skin or clothing.
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show | helium nuclei. | 2 protons plus 2 neutrons.
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Beta particles are actually . . . | electrons. | show 🗑
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Gamma rays are . . . | show | It has very short wavelength and travels at the same speed as light.
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show | a few mm of metal. | Aluminium will absorb them but lead is better.
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Gamma rays are very penetrating and can only be absorbed by . . . | many cm of lead or metres of concrete. | show 🗑
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There are radioactive substances all around us, particularly in . . . | the ground, air, in building materials and food. It is known as background radiation. | show 🗑
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Radiation which reaches us from space is known as . . . | show | They are produced in supernova explosions.
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When radiation from radioactive materials collides with neutral atoms or molecules, they may become . . . | ionised (charged) | show 🗑
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show | cancer. | The larger the dose, the greater the risk.
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Higher doses of radiation are used to . . . | kill cancer cells and harmful micro-organisms. | show 🗑
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show | absorbed. | The greater the thickness, the more is absorbed.
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The absorption of radiation can be used to . . . | monitor or control the thickness of materials. | show 🗑
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When sources of radiation are outside the body, which types are most dangerous? | Beta and gamma | show 🗑
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Outside the body, which type of radiation is least dangerous? | show | because it cannot penetrate the outer layers of clothing or skin.
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Workers who are at risk from radiation wear a film badge. Why? | If the film turns black when developed, they have been exposed to too much radiation. | show 🗑
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When sources of radiation are inside the body, which are most dangerous? | Alpha | show 🗑
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show | Beta and gamma | because they can escape the body and are less likely to be absorbed.
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The half life of a radioactive substance is . . . | the time taken for half the number of radioactive atoms in a sample to decay. | show 🗑
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The half life of a substance can also be . . . | show | The rate of decay is proportional to the number of radioactive atoms in a sample.
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The nucleus which emits radiation is referred to as a parent. What is its decay product called? | show | That's politically correct at least!
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Radioactive isotopes are used as tracers. What is a tracer? | A substance which is introduced into a person or a water supply to monitor the movement of blood or water through the system. | show 🗑
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show | Gamma | because it is not easily absorbed by the cells and will cause little damage.
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Atoms have a small nucleus made up of . . . | protons and neutrons | show 🗑
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Electrons are negatively charged and are usually found . . . | show | They are NOT like planets going around the Sun !
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show | To fire alpha particles at a sheet of gold foil. | Why gold foil ?
(The foil can be made very thin so that the alpha particles only made single collisions with gold atoms.)
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What did Rutherford's experiment prove? | The nucleus is tiny, very massive and positively charged. | show 🗑
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In Rutherford's experiment, what were the main observations? | show | Like a cannonball reflecting from tissue paper !
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All atoms of the same element have the same number of . . . | Protons | show 🗑
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In a neutral atom, there must be the same number of . . . | show | Now I care !
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Isotopes are . . . | atoms of the same element which have different numbers of neutrons in the nucleus. | show 🗑
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The total number of protons and neutrons in an atom is called its . . . | mass or nucleon number. | show 🗑
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Radioactivity occurs because of . . . | show | Electrons are NOT involved in nuclear Physics.
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show | radioisotopes or radionuclides | They have UNSTABLE nuclei which split up and emit radiation.
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When an unstable nucleus decays it . . . | becomes a different nucleus with a different number of protons and neutrons. | show 🗑
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When a gamma ray is emitted by a radioactive nucleus . . . | show | Gamma rays have no mass or charge - they just carry energy away from the nucleus.
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Alpha decay results in the nucleus losing . . . | show | An alpha particle is just a helium nucleus - they exist inside heavy nuclei in clusters.
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show | a neutron changes into a proton - it emits an electron which takes away negative charge. | Bit like a sex change !
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show | the less radiation it emits. | Can be used to date materials and rocks.
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show | nuclear fission. | A heavy nucleus (uranium) absorbs a slow neutron and splits ( fissions) into two lighter nuclei plus neutrons.
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show | they are hard to dispose of properly. | They must be stored carefully for hundreds of years.
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The energy released during nuclear fission is . . . | very large compared with chemical reactions. | show 🗑
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Uranium isotopes which have a long half life, decay by a series of short-lived isotopes to produce . . . | show | Lead has more stable isotopes than any other element.
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The age of a rock can be found by comparing . . . | show | Igneous rock can be dated this way because its initial composition is fixed when it solidifies from lava. After this radioactive minerals start to decay - the clock is ticking.
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show | its stable decay product argon is unable to escape from the rock. | Apply the idea of half life to the ratio of what remains to what was there initially.
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show | Two half lives | because only 1/4 of the original potassium remains.
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Carbon-14 is a radioactive isotope of carbon-12. How is it used? | show | Living things breathe in C14 while alive, but after death the C14 decays to Nitrogen.
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How much of radioactive material X remains after 3 half lives | show | 1/2 x 1/2 x 1/2 = 1/8
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Created by:
J Thomson
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