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Mahmud RAHMAN 4.4.2.1 Radioactive Decay and Nuclear Radiation
Mahmud RAHMAN 4.4.2.1 Radioactive Decay and Nuclear Radiation
1. Name three subatomic particles, their relative mass and their relative charge
2. Define an isotope
3. Define an Ion
4. Describe the plum pudding model
5. Rutherford’s scattering experiment proved that the plum pudding model was wrong,
what conclusions can be taken from the observations below
a. Only some alpha particles were scattered
b. Very few alpha particles were scattered at an angle bigger than 90o
c. Most of the alpha particles passed straight though
Radioactive decay and nuclear radiation Tuesday, 03 May 2022
1. Proton – mass 1, charge +1, electron – mass 1/2000 (0), charge -1, neutron – mass 1, charge 0
2. Isotope - an atom with a different number of neutrons.
3. Ion is an atom or group of atoms with a positive or negative charge.
4. a spherical cloud of positive charge, containing scattered areas of negative charge throughout.
5. Rutherford’s scattering experiment proved that the plum pudding model was wrong, what conclusions
can be taken from the observations below
a. Only some alpha particles were scattered - this showed that there must be a positive charge in
the centre of the atom.
b. Very few alpha particles were scattered at an angle bigger than 90o -This showed that the
positive charge must have been extremely small.
c. Most of the alpha particles passed straight though - This showed that the atom must be mainly
empty space.
Introduction to Radioactivity
If substances are classed as radioactive, this means that they are unstable.
Unstable refers to the forces acting on the particles and the amount of internal energy of the nucleus.
Radioactive decay - to lower the energy, becoming more stable, atoms give out radiation in a random process.
Radiation
Ways to detect radioactivity
A Geiger Muller Tube Photographic film
POSITIVE
RADIOACTIVE
SOURCE
COUNTER
• High energy incoming nuclear radiation ionises the gas inside the tube
• the negative ions formed (electrons) then flow towards a positively charged plate
• Completing the circuit, and causing a current to flow into the counter
Photographic Film
An alpha particle’s
relative mass is 4, its
relative charge is +2
4
2
α
Range in air – short, up to 5cm.
Ionisation rate – high, alpha radiation has a large mass compared to electrons it may collide with, this
results in a large energy transfer and a high rate of ionisation.
Using alpha sources – Smoke detector
• Smoke alarms have a radioactive alpha source, which is placed between a gap in its circuit.
• The alpha particles ionise the air allowing a current to flow across the gap.
• Smoke absorbs the ions created stopping the current from flowing.
• In the presence of smoke, the current inside the smoke alarm drops which triggers the alarm.
+ - + -
Current flows due to ionisation The particles are stopped by
of air molecules the smoke, breaking the circuit
Beta Radiation (β)
A beta particle - an electron that is emitted when a neutron in the nucleus turns into a proton.
0
β
A Beta particle’s relative
mass is effectively 0, its
relative charge is -1 -1
Penetration power – medium, beta radiation can be stopped with a few millimetres of aluminium
Ionisation rate – medium, beta radiation has low mass but a high velocity.
Using beta radiation – paper factory
Beta radiation passing through the thin paper
The amount of radiation passing through the paper varies depending on the thickness of the paper.
A detector is set opposite the source and shows the amount of radiation received after it has passed
through the paper, this number is proportional to the thickness of the paper.
The rollers can then be adjusted, moving up if too much radiation is measured, meaning the paper is too
thin, and moving down is too little radiation is measured, meaning the paper is too thick.
Paper
Geiger counter
Ionisation rate – low, although it has a lot of energy, each gamma wave is absorbed by only one electron.
Using Gamma Radiation – Tracers
Substances that emit gamma radiation are often used as tracers as it is highly penetrating but has
a low ionisation rate.
Gamma
Beta
Alpha
Practice
Beta gamma
Practice
Beta