SMK Sultan Yahya Petra 1

Science
Radioactivity

Name: Chong Junn Kyle

Class: 3DLP
Subject: Science
Teacher: Teacher Huda
Content
No Subject page

1
Discovery of radioactivity

2
Atom and Nuclear

3
Ionising Radiation and Non Ionising
Radiation

4
Uses of Radioactive Radiation
Discovery of radioactivity
Figure Discovery
Willhelm  Discovered X-rays in 1895. He had unintentionally taken
Conrad an X-ray photograph of his wife’s hand.
Roentgen  Receive the first Nobel Prize in Physic in 1901

Antoine  Discovered radioactivity when he discovered uranium

Henri salts could darken photo plates in 1896
Becquerel  Receive Nobel Prize in Physics in 1903

Pierre Curie  Awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1903, along with
Henri Becquerel and Marie Curie in radioactivity research

Marie Curie  Pioneering

studies of radioactivity

 Discovered the radioactive elements polonium and radium

together with her husband, Pierre Curie

 She was the first and only woman to win the Nobel prize
twice
 The Physicist

Willhelm Conrad Roentgen Antoine Henri Becquerel

Pierre Curie Marie Curie

Radioactivity
 Random and spontaneous decay process of an unstable nucleus
by emitting radioactive radiation
 Radioactive radiation consists of:
 alpha particles (alpha radiation), α
 beta particles (beta radiation), β
 gamma ray, γ

RADIOACTIVE DECAY
  random and spontaneous process where an unstable nucleus
emits radioactive radiation until the nucleus becomes more
stable

 Examples of radioactive elements:

 Carbon-14 (C-14)
 Radon-222 (Rn-222)
 Thorium-234 (Th-234)
 Thorium-234 (Th-234)

UNIT OF RADIOACTIVITY
 The decaying rate of unstable nuclei (or the activeness in nuclei
decay) is measured in curie unit.

1 Ci = 3.7 x 1010 decay per year

 S.I. unit for radioactivity is becquerel (Bq)

1 Bq = 1 decay per second

The half-life of radioactive decay

 Radioactive decay involves the exchange of unstable nucleus to
more stable mucus accompanied by radiation of radioactive
radiation

 The half-life of radioactive decay is the time taken for the

number of an unstable nucleus in a sample of radioactive
material to remain half of its original number
Radioactive substances Half-life
Iodin-123 13 hours
Polonium-210 138 days

Radium-228 5.75 years

Amerisium-241 432.6 years

Carbon-14 5730 years

Uranium-235 703.8 million years

Atom and Nuclear

Subatomic particle Features

Proton  Positively charged

 Inside the atomic nucleus

Neutron  Not charged (neutral)

 Inside the atomic nucleus

Electron  Negatively charged

 Inside the atomic nucleus

Formation of Positive ions(cation) and
Negative ions(Anion)

Ion formation:

 Ions are formed when atoms lose (positive ions) or receive electrons (negative ions)

 Positive ions are formed when atoms lose electrons. So a positive ion has more protons
than its number of electrons

 Negative ions are formed when atoms receive electrons. Thus, a negative ion has more
electrons than its number of protons

Ionising and Non-ionising Radiation

Ionising radiation Non-Ionising radiation
- Ionising radiation contains a higher energy - Non-ionising radiation has a lower energy
content and causes electrons to be released from content and cannot release electrons from the
 the atoms or molecules it irradiates atoms or molecules it illuminates

- Examples of ionising radiation are alpha - Examples of non-ionising radiation are radio
radiation, beta radiation, and gamma radiation waves, microwaves, and infrared

The characteristics of alpha, beta, and gamma

rays
Similarities:
 Cannot be seen by the naked eye
 Are radioactive radiations
Characteristics Alpha, α Beta, β Gamma, γ
Particle size Big Small Non
Charge Positive Negative Neutral
Ionising power High Medium Low
Penetrating power Low Medium High
 Penetration Power

Sources of ionising radiation

Sources of ionising radiation

 Sources of ionising radiation are divided into natural sources and man-made sources

 Sources of natural ionising radiation include cosmic radiation and background

radiation

 Cosmic radiation is radiation emitted continuously from outer space that can cause
interference with weather and communication systems

 Background radiation is radiation that is present everywhere but the level varies due
to solar radiation and the presence of radon-222 gas (radioactive gas in the air)

 Measured in microSievert units/hour (µSv/h)

 Nuclear test and nuclear accident at Chernobyl April 1986 is a source of man-made

ionising radiation

Exposure to ionising radiation and safety measures:

Radioactive effects Security measures

- Genetic mutations that may cause tumor growth
and cancer
- Infertility
- The skin burns and becomes blind
- Limb deformity and death for severe cases
- Radioactive material should be stored in lead
containers
- Workers in radioactive laboratories must wear
radioactive warning badges and special protective
clothing made of lead rubber
- Lead shields can be used to protect users from
radioactive radiation
- Radioactive waste must be handled properly so
that it is safer and does not cause environmental
pollution
Uses of Radioactive Radiation
Agricultural field:

 Increase the rate of absorption of fertilizer by a plant with a small mixture of radioactive material

 Radioactive radiation is used to kill pests and is used to genetically modify plant cells to produce
better breeds

Field of defense:

 Nuclear energy used by some submarines and aircraft carriers

 Nuclear weapons contain radioactive materials such as uranium and plutonium that release
enormous amounts of energy when exploded

Medical field:

 Radioactive radiation is used to detect the location of clogged arteries in heart patients, is used to
kill cancer cells, and to sterilize hospital equipment and rooms

Archaeological field:

 Radiation from the isotope-14 can determine the age of fossils, wood, and bone through the
activity of radiation emitted by these materials

Industrial field:

 Radioactive radiation is used to detect cracks in groundwater pipes, check luggage bags at
airports, and the thickness of a material

Fields of food preservation:

 Some preserved foods emit radioactive radiation to kill the microorganisms present in the food

Summary:
Radioactivity is a process by which certain naturally occurring or
artificial nuclides undergo spontaneous decay releasing a new energy.
This decay process is accompanied by the emission of one or more
types of radiation, ionizing or non-ionizing, and particles. The
important of radioactive radiation for the well-being of humans makes
us grateful to the Almighty for creating radioactive that have many
uses to sustain life.