Exercise 23.

1 The nature of radiation

Radioactive substances emit radiation. As it passes through a material, it may be
absorbed. This helps us to distinguish the three types of radiation.

a The diagram shows how the three types of radiation from radioactive substances are
absorbed by different materials.
lead
aluminium
paper

The diagram uses symbols write the full names here:

O ***

B ************

***********************************************

b Which type of radiation is the most penetrating?. *******************************************************

c Which type of radiation can be absorbed by a few centimetres of air or by a thin sheet

of paper?. *************

d Which types of radiation are absorbed by a thick sheet of lead? . ****

e The radiation from radioactive substances is called 'ionising radiation. This is because it
can change particles, causing them to become ions. What is an ion?
***** **.********************.*******************.***************.*************** **********************.******************** *** *******s*ss*******

********** *******+******** *************************************** *****************************************************************************************

f Which type ofionising radiation has no mass?.

g Which type ofionising radiation has a positive charge?...... ************

h Which type ofionising radiation is an electron? *********************************. *****************

Which type of ionising radiation is the same as a helium nucleus?. *********** ******************

j Which type of ionising radiation travels at the speed of light?.

Radioactivity 87
k Which type of ionising radiation has a negative charge? . **********************************************************

Which type of ionising radiation is a form of electromagnetic radiation?

*****************************************************

Exercise 23.2 Radioactive decay

The decay of radioactive substances follows a particular pattern, which arises from the
random nature of decay.

a A sample of a radioactive substance contains 2400 undecayed atoms. Calculate the

number that will remain after three half-lives.

b For the sample in part a, calculate the number that will decay during three half-lives.

c A sample of a radioactive substance contains 1000 undecayed atoms. Its half-life is

4.5 years. Calculate the number that will remain
undecayed after 9.0 years.

d A radioactive substance has a half-life of 13 years. Calculate the time it will take for the
number of undecayed atoms in a sample to fall to one-eighth of their original number.

88 Block 5: Atomic physics

Exercise 23.3 Using radioactive substances
Radioactive substances are useful. In particular, we can use the radiation they produce.
For this, it is important to understand the properties of ionising radiation.

Complete the table below as follows.

The first column shows some uses of radioactive substances.
In the second column, write the appropriate code number or numbers from the list
below:
1 Some radiation is very penetrating

2 Some radiation is readily absorbed

3 lonising radiation damages cells
4 Radiation is easily detected
5 Radioactive substances decay at a known rate

Use of radioactivity Code number(s)

Finding the age of an ancient object

Destroying cancerous tissue

Imaging a tumour in the body

Sterilising medical equipment

Controlling the thickness of paper in a
paper mill

Detecting smoke in the air

Tracing leaks from underground pipes