JOHNNY TAN XING ZI (40) 1-R

Background radiation
Radiation is all around us. It comes from radioactive substances including the ground, air, building materials and food. Radiation is also
found in cosmic rays from space. Some rocks contain radioactive substances that produce a radioactive gas called radon.
Radioactive substances give out radiation all of the time. There are three types of nuclear radiation: alpha, beta and gamma. Alpha is the
least penetrating, while gamma is the most penetrating.
Radiation can be harmful, but it can also be useful. The uses of radiation include smoke detectors, paper-thickness gauges, treating cancer
and sterilising medical equipment.

Types of radiation
Nuclear radiation comes from the nucleus of an atom. Substances that give out radiation are said to be radioactive. There are three types
of nuclear radiation:
• alpha
• beta
• gamma

Radiation can be absorbed by substances in its path. For example, alpha radiation travels only a few centimetres in air, beta radiation
travels tens of centimetres in air, while gamma radiation travels many metres. All types of radiation become less intense the further the
distance from the radioactive material, as the particles or rays become more spread out. The thicker the substance, the more the radiation
is absorbed. The three types of radiation penetrate materials in different ways.

Radiation safety
You cannot do much to reduce your exposure to natural background radiation, but great care is needed when handling radioactive
materials. Precautions include:
• wearing protective clothing
• keeping as far away as is practicable - for example, by using tongs
• keeping your exposure time as short as possible, and
• keeping radioactive materials in lead-lined containers, labelled with the appropriate hazard symbol.
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Uses of Radiation
Uses of Radiation
Types of Radiation Uses
Alpha radiation Smoke detectors
Beta radiation Medical imaging
Gamma radiation Treatment of cancer