Physics P2 6.6 Radioactivity at work.

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What does the use we can make of a radioactive isotope depend on?
It's half-life and the type of radiation it gives out.
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What do we need for radioactive dating of a sample?
A radioactive isotope that is present in the sample which has a half-life about the same as the age of the sample.
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What are alpha radioactive sources used for, why and what half-life if needed?
They are used in smoke alarms, the alpha particles are not dangerous because they are very poorly penetrating, the source needs a half-life of several years.
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What are beta radioactive sources used for, why and what half-life is needed?
Thickness monitoring in the manufacture of things like paper or metal foil, alpha particles would be stopped by a thin sheet of paper and gamma rays would pass through it. It needs a half-life of years, decreases in count rate due to changes in paper
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What are gamma and beta radioactive sources used for and what half-life is required and why?
Tracers in medicine, it is injected or swallowed and its progress around the body is monitored by a detector outside the body, so that there is no unnecessary exposure to radioactivity the source needs a half-life of only a few hours.
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What is radioactive dating used for?
To find the age of ancient material, carbon dating is used to find the age of wood and other organic material, uranium is used to find the age of igneous rocks.
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Why isn't an alpha source used as a tracer in medicine?
Alpha particles are very poorly penetrating, so they would not be detected outside the body, also alpha is very ionising so would be damaging to the patient.
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Why do medical tracers have half-lives of just a few hours?
To allow time to complete the procedure but minimise unnecessary exposure of the patient.
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**FOR EACH TYPE OF RADIATION MAKE SURE YOU KNOW AN APPLICATION, WHY A PARTICULAR SOURCE IS USED AND THE APPROXIMATE HALF-LIFE**
**
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Other cards in this set

Card 2

Front

What do we need for radioactive dating of a sample?

Back

A radioactive isotope that is present in the sample which has a half-life about the same as the age of the sample.

Card 3

Front

What are alpha radioactive sources used for, why and what half-life if needed?

Back

Preview of the front of card 3

Card 4

Front

What are beta radioactive sources used for, why and what half-life is needed?

Back

Preview of the front of card 4

Card 5

Front

What are gamma and beta radioactive sources used for and what half-life is required and why?

Back

Preview of the front of card 5
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