Radioactivity

Chapter 23
Background radiations
• Background radiation is the radiation that is always present around us
in the environment.
• Background radiation originates from a variety of sources, both
natural and artificial.
 Natural sources of radioactivity
• Air contains radioactive gas called Radon which comes from
underground rocks containing radioactive uranium.
• Ground contains radioactive materials.
• Plants absorb radioactive materials from the soil and these pass up
the food chain therefore, our food and drinks are also radioactive.
• Atmosphere contains cosmic rays - radiation that reaches the Earth
from space
Artificial sources of Radioactivity
• A small amount of radioactive radiations comes from artificial
sources, such as medical procedures (including X-rays and gamma
rays).

• Radiation from Nuclear Power come to less than 0.1% of the total.
• Radioactive waste from nuclear power stations
Sources of
Background
radiations
Discovery of Radioactivity
• Henri Becquerel in 1896 discovered radioactivity accidently.
• He was using naturally fluorescent minerals to study the properties of
x-rays
• He exposed naturally fluorescent minerals containing uranium to
sunlight on his window and then placed it on photographic plates
wrapped in black paper, believing that the uranium absorbed the
sun’s energy and then emitted it as x-rays.
• His idea was disproved on the 26th-27th of February 1896, when his
experiment "failed" because it was overcast in Paris.
• To his surprise, the images were strong and clear even on cloudy day
without any external source of light such as sun, proving that the
uranium emitted radiation.
• Becquerel had discovered radioactivity. Later, he tested the
 Detecting radiations
We use Geiger counter or
photographic film to detect the
radiations.
How Geiger-Muller counter
works.
• When radiation passes close to
an atom, it knocks out electrons,
ionising the atom.
• Radiation detectors work by
detecting the presence of these
ions or the chemical changes
that they produce.
 A Random process
• Radioactive decay is a random process.
• Random means it occurs without definite aim, reason, or pattern.
• We can't predict when the next atom will decay.
• We can't predict which sample of atom is going to decay next.
Book questions
What is Radioactivity
• The spontaneous emission of Alpha, Beta and Gamma particles from
the nuclei of some unstable elements.
• Radioactivity is a random process. This means that, although we
understand why some nuclei emit radiation, it is impossible to predict
exactly when a nucleus will emit radiation.

Why some nucleus emit raditions?

An unstable nucleus emits radiations to gain stability.
Radioactive decay process
The three types of radiation

Alpha α
Beta β
Gamma γ
The three types of radiation

 A helium nucleus, consisting of

Alpha α two protons and two neutrons.
 A relative charge of +2.
 A high mass compared with
beta particles.
 Speed up to 0.1 x speed of
light
 Strong ionizing effect
 Not very penetrating (stopped
by paper, or skin, or a few
centimetres of air
 Deflected by magnetic and
electric fields
The three types of radiation

 Each beta particle is an

electron.
 A relative charge of -1.
 A low mass compared with
alpha particles.

β
 Speed up to 0.9 x speed of light
Beta  Weak ionizing effect.
 Penetrating, but stopped by a few
millimetres of aluminium or other
metal.
 Deflected by magnetic and electric
fields
The three types of radiation

 Not particles, but

electromagnetic waves and part
of the electromagnetic
spectrum.
 No charge.
 No mass
 Travel at the speed of light
 Very weak ionising effect.
 Very strongly penetrating –
intensity reduced by lead and

Gamma γ thick concrete, but never

completely stopped.
 Not deflected by magnetic or
electric fields
Comparison of three particles
 Ionizing effect

Alpha α

Beta β

Gamma γ Ionizing effect = ability to

remove electrons from
atoms in its path. (These
atoms then become ions).
 Penetrating effect

Alpha α Stopped by paper or skin, or

a few centimetres of air

Beta β Stopped by a few millimetres

of aluminium or other metal.

Gamma γ Stopped by lead and thick

concrete, but never completely.
The three types of radiation Effect of fields

+ β

γ
α

α particles – positively charged, so deflected in the direction of the negative terminal (or
south pole).
β particles – negatively charged, so deflected in the direction of the positive terminal (or
north pole)
γ particles – no charge, so not deflected by magnetic or electric fields.
Book questions
Radioactive decay
Radioactive decay is a random event –
The unstable nuclei in some materials
will break up, or disintegrate. It is
impossible to predict exactly which
nuclei will decay. This disintegration
of the nuclei is called radioactive
decay.
 Radioactive decay
Radioactive decay is a random event –
When a nucleus decays it becomes
The unstable nuclei in some materials
more stable, but the loss of protons and
will break up, or disintegrate. It is
neutrons makes it a different element.
impossible to predict exactly which
The original nucleus is called the parent
nuclei will decay. This disintegration
nucleus. The nucleus formed is known
of the nuclei is called radioactive
as the daughter nucleus. Both are
decay.
called the decay products.

Mass number (nucleon

number) = total number of
nucleons (protons + Alpha particle Beta particle
neutrons) in the nucleus
4 + + 0
2He 2α
4
-1
β
Atomic number (proton
Four nucleons, An electron,
number) also shows the
relative charge of charge of -1
relative charge on the
+2
nucleus.
Radioactive decay
When radium-226 decays, it does so
by emitting an alpha particle. This
means that the ‘daughter’ nucleus now
Use equations involving has 2 protons and 2 neutrons less than
nuclide notation to
represent changes in the it did before. We can write this as a
composition of the
nucleus when particles
nuclear equation.
are emitted

Let’s have a look

226 222 4
at some
examples! Rn
88 86
+ α 2

A new element, radon, has

been formed from the
decay of the radium.
Radioactive decay

Use equations involving Thorium-232 also undergoes

nuclide notation to radioactive decay, again with the loss
represent changes in the
composition of the of an alpha particle (helium nucleus).
nucleus when particles
are emitted

Let’s have a look

232 228 4
at some
examples! 90 88
+ α 2

The element radium has

been formed from the
decay of the thorium.
Book questions
Radioactive decay
In beta decay, a neutron changes into
a proton plus an electron. The proton
stays in the nucleus and the electron
leaves the atom with high energy. The
Use equations involving
nuclide notation to
mass number remains unchanged (one
represent changes in the neutron lost, one proton gained) but
composition of the
nucleus when particles the atomic number increases by one.
are emitted
Both examples
involved alpha
14 14 0
decay. Let’s now
look at an 6
C 7
+ e-
-1
example of beta
decay The element nitrogen has
been formed from the beta
decay of the carbon.
Radioactive decay

Use equations involving

In this example of beta decay, iodine-
nuclide notation to 131 emits a beta particle to become
represent changes in the
composition of the xenon.
nucleus when particles
are emitted
Both examples
involved alpha
131 131 0
decay. Let’s now
look at an 53
I 54
Xe + e- -1
example of beta
decay The mass number remains
unchanged, and the proton
number (atomic number)
increases by 1.