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Radioactivity

플레이하며 배우기

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선생님을 위해: Radioactivity(Physics, CIE)을(를) 위한 바로 쓸 수 있는 수업 슬라이드, 복습 노트, 다이어그램 — 수업에 사용하거나, 학생들이 실시간 게임으로 즐기는 인터랙티브 클래스 활동으로 진행하세요.

수업 노트

Background Radiation

  • Background radiation is the radiation that exists around us all the time.
  • Natural sources: radon gas (in air), rocks and buildings, food and drink, cosmic rays.
  • Man-made sources: medical X-rays, nuclear waste, nuclear fallout, nuclear accidents.
  • The count rate (decays per second) is measured using a Geiger-Müller tube.
  • To correct for background radiation, measure count rate with no source and subtract from readings with source.

Types of Radiation

  • α (α): helium nucleus (2 protons, 2 neutrons), charge +2, range a few cm in air, stopped by paper, highly ionising.
  • β (β): high-speed electron, charge -1, range tens of cm in air, stopped by a few mm of aluminium, moderately ionising.
  • Gamma (γ): electromagnetic wave, no charge, infinite range in air, reduced by thick lead, weakly ionising.
  • Radioactive decay is spontaneous and random – cannot predict which nucleus will decay next.

Penetrating power of alpha, beta, and gamma radiation

Penetrating power of alpha, beta, and gamma radiation

Ionising Power & Deflection

  • Ionisation is the removal of an electron from an atom, creating an ion.
  • α is most ionising (charge +2, large mass); β is moderate (charge -1); gamma is least (no charge).
  • In an electric field: α deflects towards negative plate, β towards positive plate, γ undeflected.
  • In a magnetic field: α and β deflect in opposite directions (due to opposite charges); γ undeflected.
  • β deflects more than α because β has much smaller mass.

Ionisation of an atom by radiation

Ionisation of an atom by radiation

Radioactive Decay

  • α decay: nucleus emits α-particle (₂⁴He). Mass number decreases by 4, atomic number decreases by 2.
  • β decay: neutron changes into proton and electron; electron (β⁻) is emitted. Atomic number increases by 1, mass number unchanged.
  • Gamma decay: nucleus emits γ-ray; no change in mass or atomic number, only energy reduces.
  • Decay equations must balance mass and atomic numbers on both sides.
  • Example: ₈₄²¹²Po → ₈₂²⁰⁸Pb + ₂⁴α

Beta decay process showing a neutron transforming into a proton and emitting an electron

Beta decay process showing a neutron transforming into a proton and emitting an electron

Half-Life

  • Half-life is the time taken for half the nuclei in a sample to decay.
  • It is constant for a given isotope and unaffected by conditions.
  • Half-life can be found from an activity–time graph: read time for activity to halve.
  • Correct for background radiation before calculating half-life.
  • After n half-lives, fraction remaining = (½)ⁿ.

A half-life graph showing activity falling from A0 to A0/2 to A0/4

A half-life graph showing activity falling from A0 to A0/2 to A0/4

Uses of Radiation

  • α: smoke detectors – α ionises air, smoke absorbs α, triggers alarm.
  • β: measuring thickness of thin materials (e.g., paper, aluminium foil) – absorption varies with thickness.
  • Gamma: sterilising medical equipment (penetrating, kills microbes), irradiating food, radiotherapy for cancer.
  • Tracers: short half-life gamma emitters used in PET scans to diagnose cancer.

How a smoke detector works using alpha radiation

How a smoke detector works using alpha radiation

Dangers of Radiation

  • Ionising radiation can damage DNA, causing cell death, mutations, or cancer.
  • High doses cause skin burns and reduce white blood cells (weakened immune system).
  • Safe handling: store in lead-lined boxes, use tongs, minimise time, maximise distance.
  • Shielding (lead, concrete, water) absorbs radiation; radiologists stand behind barriers.
  • Radioactive waste with long half-life is buried deep underground.

Ionising radiation damaging DNA strands and causing a mutation

Ionising radiation damaging DNA strands and causing a mutation

슬라이드

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연습 문제

무료 미리 보기 — 54개 중 8개 문제. 가입하면 전부 볼 수 있어요.
  1. 1.Which of the following is a natural source of background radiation?

    Easy
    • ARadon gas
    • BMedical X-rays
    • CNuclear waste
    • DNuclear fallout
  2. 2.What is the main reason radioactive sources are stored in lead-lined containers?

    Easy
    • ATo reduce the amount of radiation emitted, protecting people nearby
    • BTo increase the rate of radioactive decay
    • CTo prevent the source from getting cold
    • DTo stop the source from moving
  3. 3.Which type of radiation is the most ionising?

    Easy
    • Aα particles
    • Bβ particles
    • CGamma rays
    • DNeutrons
  4. 4.Which statement about radioactive decay is correct?

    Medium
    • AIt is a random process and cannot be predicted when a particular nucleus will decay
    • BThe rate of decay increases if the substance is heated
    • CPlacing a radioactive substance in a lead box prevents it from decaying
    • DThe decay always produces poisonous gases
  5. 5.A radioactive source has a half-life of 0.5 hours. A detector positioned near the source reads 6000 counts per second. Background radiation can be ignored. What will the detector read 1.5 hours later?

    Medium
    • A750 counts per second
    • B1500 counts per second
    • C2000 counts per second
    • D3000 counts per second
  6. 6.A student measures 210 counts in 3 minutes from a radioactive source. The background count rate is 20 counts per minute. What is the corrected count rate for the source?

    Medium
    • A50 counts per minute
    • B70 counts per minute
    • C190 counts per minute
    • D270 counts per minute
  7. 7.A nucleus of radium-226 (⁸⁸²²⁶Ra) undergoes α decay. What are the nucleon number and proton number of the new nucleus formed?

    Medium
    • ANucleon number 222, proton number 86
    • BNucleon number 222, proton number 88
    • CNucleon number 224, proton number 87
    • DNucleon number 230, proton number 90
  8. 8.Which type of radiation is most suitable for measuring the thickness of thin aluminium foil in a manufacturing process?

    Medium
    • Aβ particles
    • Bα particles
    • CGamma rays
    • DNeutrons

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