Properties of Radiation Flashcards

All 5 cards in this deck

Which materials stop alpha, beta and gamma radiation?

Alpha: a sheet of paper. Beta: a few mm of aluminium. Gamma: thick lead (or concrete).

Put alpha, beta and gamma in order of ionising power, most ionising first.

Alpha, then beta, then gamma.

Compare the range in air of alpha, beta and gamma radiation.

Alpha a few cm; beta a few metres; gamma hundreds of metres (effectively unlimited).

An aluminium sheet between a beta source and a GM tube is removed. What happens to the count rate, and why?

The count rate increases: there is no aluminium to absorb the beta particles, so more beta particles reach the GM tube.

True or false? The most penetrating radiation is also the most ionising.

False. Gamma is the most penetrating but the least ionising; alpha is the most ionising but least penetrating.