Contamination & Irradiation Flashcards

All 6 cards in this deck

What is irradiation?

Being exposed to radiation from a source outside the object or person; no radioactive material is transferred.

What is radioactive contamination?

Radioactive material getting onto or inside an object or person, where it keeps decaying.

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

False. Irradiation does not transfer any radioactive material, so the object is not radioactive afterwards.

True or false? The hazard from irradiation stops as soon as you move away from the source.

True. Moving away (or shielding the source) stops the exposure, unlike contamination which travels with you.

Why is contamination by an alpha emitter especially hazardous?

Inside the body there is no skin or air to absorb the alpha particles, and alpha is highly ionising, so it damages nearby cells.

Which type of radiation is the greatest hazard from a source outside the body, and why?

Gamma (and beta), because it is penetrating enough to pass through skin and reach organs; alpha is stopped by the skin.