Atoms & ionising radiation 2

Alpha particles are helium nuclei
1. Alpha particle is two neutrons and two protons - same as a helium nucleus
2. Alpha particles are relatively big and slow moving
  1. therefore don't penetrate very far into materials and stopped quickly - even when travelling through air
  2. Because of their size they're strongly ionising which means They hit allot of atoms and knock electrons off them before they slow down, creating allot of ions (ionising)
Beta particles are electrons
1. In between alpha and gamma particles - (in terms of properties)
2. For every beta particle emitted a neutron turns to proton in nucleus
3. Beta particle is basically an electron with pretty much no mass and -1 charge
  1. Move quite fast + fairly small (electrons)
    1. Penetrate moderately into materials before colliding and have long range in air + moderately ionising
Balance nuclear equations
1. Alpha and Beta decays can be written as nuclear equations
  1. Watch out for mass + atomic numbers as they must balance on each side
Gamma rays are very short wavelength EM waves
1. The opposite of alpha particles (kind of)
2. penetrate far in materials without being stopped & go straight through air
  1. weakly ionising as tend to pass through rather than collide with atoms but eventually they do hit something and cause damage
3. Gamma rays have no mass and no charge

Resource summary

	Created by Jack Willepotte about 8 years ago