Contamination & Irradiation Flashcards

All 5 cards in this deck

What is meant by irradiation?

Exposing an object or person to radiation from a source outside them, without the source touching them.

What is meant by radioactive contamination?

Unwanted radioactive atoms getting onto or inside an object or body, where they go on exposing it to radiation.

True or false? An object that has been irradiated becomes radioactive itself.

False. Irradiation does not make the object radioactive; the hazard stops once the source is removed or shielded.

Which type of radiation is most hazardous inside the body, and which is most hazardous outside the body?

Inside: alpha, because it is the most strongly ionising and all its energy is absorbed by nearby tissue. Outside: beta and gamma, because they penetrate the skin and reach organs (alpha is stopped by skin).

How does protective clothing such as gloves and suits reduce the risk of radioactive contamination?

It forms a barrier that keeps radioactive particles off the skin and out of the lungs, and the contaminated layer can be taken off afterwards.