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3 Cards in this Set
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When nuclear radiation travels through a material it will collide with the atoms of the material. this knocks electrons off them, creating ions. This is called ionisination.
Ionisination in a living cell can damage or kill the cell. Alpha particles are relatively large, so they have lots of collisions with atoms - they are strongly ionizing. Because of these collisions, the alpha particles do not penetrate far into a material. They can be stopped by a thin sheet of paper, human skin or a few centimeters of air. What is ionisation? |
when nuclear radiation travel through a material it collides with other atoms, this knocks electrons of them - ionisation
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Alpha particles have a positive charge and are deflected by electric and magnetic fields. Beta particles are much smaller and faster than alpha particles so they are less ionising and penetrate further. They are blocked by a few meters of air or a thin sheet of aluminum. Beta particles have a negative charge and are deflected by electric and magnetic fields in the opposite direction.
Do alpha particles have a negative or a positive charge? |
They have a positive charge.
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Gamma rays are electromagnetic waves so they will travel a long way through a material before colliding with an atom. They are weakly ionising and very penetrating. Several centimeters of lead or several meters of concrete are needed to absorb most of the radiation. Gamma rays are not deflected by electric and magnetic fields.
Are gamma rays deflected by electric and magnetic fields? |
No they aren't.
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