Uses of radioactivity

Smoke alarm: A smoke alarm uses alpha particles emitted from a small radioactive source to ionize air
molecules in ionization chambers. When smoke enters the chamber, it impedes the motion of ions,
causing a drop in current that activates the alarm. Alpha particles are chosen as they do not travel far in
air, minimizing health risks.

Sterilization: Gamma radiation, which consists of high-energy photons, is used to sterilize medical
instruments and certain foods by killing bacteria. Gamma radiation has high penetrating power, and a
long half-life source is preferred for maintaining a constant activity.

Thickness gauge: A radioisotope emitting beta particles can be placed on one side of a moving sheet of
material, with a DM tube on the other side, to measure the thickness of paper, plastic, and metal sheets
during manufacture. Beta particles are suitable sources for monitoring the thickness of thin sheets,
while gamma particles are preferred for thicker materials as they are more penetrating and less
absorbed. A long half-life source is preferred to maintain a constant activity.

Cancer diagnosis and treatment: Radioactive chemicals that emit gamma radiation can be injected into
the patient and absorbed by cancer cells for detection. Gamma radiation is chosen as it easily penetrates
skin and internal organs and has low ionizing power. High-energy beams of gamma radiation are used
for radiotherapy to kill cancerous cells. The choice of radioisotope and radiation type depends on the
specific application, with a short half-life preferred for diagnosis and a long half-life preferred for
external radiotherapy.

Tracers: A weak radioisotope emitting gamma particles can be injected into a system to trace its
progress using a GM tube or other detector. This method is used to detect brain tumors, internal
bleeding, and fluid flow in pipes in medicine and industry. Gamma radiation is preferred due to its high
penetrating power, and a short half-life source is chosen to minimize ongoing radiation exposure.