RADIOACTIVITY AND HALF LIFE

RADIOACTIVITY AND HALF LIFE

1. ACTIVITY- THE RATE AT WHICH A SOURCE DECAYS

   • MEASURED IN BECQUERELS (Bq)

2. COUNT RATE - THE NUMBER OF RADIATION COUNTS REACHING A DETECTOR PER SECOND

   • A GEIGER- MULLER TUBE AND COUNTER MEASURE COUNT RATE

3. HALF LIFE

   • TIME TAKEN FOR THE NUBER OF NUCLEI OF AN ISOTOPE IN A SAMPLE TO HALVE
   • RADIIOACTIVE DECAY IS RANDOM

4. CONTAMINATION

   • RADIOACTIVE CONTAMINATION- GETTIG UNWANTED RADIOACTIVE ATOMS ONTO OR INTO AN OBJECT

5. IRRADATION

   • IRRADATION- THE EXPOSURE OF AN OBJECT TO NUCLEAR RADIATION (THIS DOESNT MAKE THE OBJECT RADIOACTIVE
   • PRECAUTIONS AGAINST IRRADATION
     • KEEP SOURCES IN LEAD LINED BOXES
     • STAND BEHIND BARRIERS OR BE IN A DIFFERENT ROOM TO SOURCE
     • HANDLE SOURCES WITH REMOTE CONTROLLED ARMS

6. RISK OF RADIATION

   • RADIATION CAN ENTER A LIVING CELL IONISING ATOMS WITHIN IT
     • CELL CAN BE DAMAGED
       • DAMAGED CELL CAN MULTIPLY AND BECOME CANCER
     • CELL CAN BE KILLED

7. INSIDE THE BODY

   • ALPHA IS THE MOST DANGEROUS
   • GAMMA IS LEAST DANGEROUS

8. OUTSIDE THE BODY

   • GAMMA IS MOST DANGEROUS
   • ALPHA IS THE MOST DANGEROUS