RADIOACTIVITY

* What actually is RADIATION & RADIOACTIVITY?

Ans: In Physics radiation describes any process in which energy emitted by one body
travels through a medium or through space, ultimately to be absorbed by another body.
Radiation is of 2 types:

(i)Non-ionizing radiation any type of electromagnetic radiation that does not carry enough
energy to ionize atoms or molecules — that is, to completely remove an electron from an atom or
molecule. Instead of producing charged ions when passing through matter, the electromagnetic
radiation has sufficient energy only for excitation, the movement of an electron to a higher energy
state. e.g Ultra-violet light, infra–red light, microwaves, radio waves, even visible light.

(ii)Ionizing radiation this is a type of radiation in which the particles have enough energy to
detach electrons from atoms or molecules. Examples of ionizing particles are the energetic alpha
particles & beta particles. Ionizing radiation comes from radioactive materials. It is invisible and
undetectable by human senses, so instruments such as Geiger counters are required to detect its
presence. It has many practical uses in medicine, research, construction, and other areas, but presents
a health hazard if used improperly. Here we will discuss about ionizing radiation.

• Radioactive Elements: these are elements which have unstable nuclei and
spontaneously decay by emitting particles in order to reach a stable state. e.g.
Radium, Polonium, Thorium, Uranium, Bismuth, etc. (More is discussed
below)
 ➢ Definition:
Radioactivity is the spontaneous random emission of
particles from within the nucleus of an atom.
* Spontaneous random means that the particles are emitted in bursts at irregular intervals
with no set pattern and are emitted in any direction. Atoms of radioactive elements emit
particles to become stable (not all nucleus of elements are stable and those with unstable
nucleus are said to emit particles)..

*This process is unique; the particles are emitted without any energy introduced, and so the
atom itself is a source of energy. The atom is not the same after emission of the particles. It
changes into an atom of another substance which may be unstable (will undergo further
disintegration) or stable (will not emit any more particles).How they emit particles and what
are those particles are discussed later (below).

During radioactive decay of an element, three types of particles may

be emitted. These are:

* Alpha (α) particles :-

 226
86 Ra  4
2 α + 222 86Rn
An α particle is the nucleus of a Helium atom (described further later), consisting of 2
protons and 2 neutrons (no electrons).Since there are no electrons present and neutron has
no charge, an α particle has a net positive(+ve) charge, and has 4 proton masses.

Alpha particles have very high ionizing* power, but can travel a few cm only and thus
have the least penetrating power. It can be absorbed by a thin sheet of paper and is also
blocked by the human skin. Alpha particles travel in straight lines, but if passed through
strong magnetic and electric fields, small deflection is seen, as shown below:

*Beta (β) particles

137
55Cs
137
 56Ba + 0 -1β
These are electrons emitted with varying speeds which can be as high as nine-tenths of the
speed of light. Like all electrons, they carry a negative charge. They are much lighter than α
particles (mass of β or e- =1/1840 mass of Proton) which is negligible ; they have much less
ionizing power, but however have more penetrating power than α . β particles can be
absorbed by few mm of Aluminium.When they pass through a strong magnetic or electric
field, large deflection(always opposite to α direction) is seen:
*Gamma (γ) rays :

These are electromagnetic waves of very short wavelength; in other words, high energy
photons. They result from energy changes inside atomic nuclei, as distinct from X-rays which
are caused by energy changes outside. A gamma photon is often emitted at the same time as
an alpha or beta particle.
Gamma rays are the least ionizing of the nuclear radiations, but the most penetrating. Their
intensity is greatly reduced by several cm of Pb (Lead), but they are never completely
absorbed.

Particle/Ray Nature & Approximate Ionizing Absorbed by Deflection

Charge Mass Effect in
Magnetic
or Electric
Field
Alpha 2 protons,2 4 proton STRONG Sheet of Very
particle (α) neutrons, He masses PAPER small
nucleus
Beta particle
(β)
Electron, e- 1/1840 proton WEAK
mass
About 5mm
of
LARGE

Aluminium
Gamma Electromagnetic Very Never fully Zero
rays(γ) waves, high Weak absorbed, few
energy photons ----------------- mm of Pb
reduces
intensity