Radioactivity

definition

• This is a spontaneous and random disintegration/ breaking of the

nucleus of a heavy and unstable atoms to produce a new stable atom
called a daughter nuclide and radioactive emission particles(beta
particles, alpha particles and gamma rays) and energy.
• Spontaneous means the process occurs on its own.
• Random means it is not predictable and cannot be controlled.
Radioactive emissions
• The three radioactive emissions are:
• Beta particles (β or e-)
• Alpha particles(α)
• Gamma rays (У)
Properties of radioactive emissions
1 Nature- this describes what each emission represents.
4
• Alpha particles are a helium nucleus
2
• He
• Mass number is 4 and proton number is 2
• Positive charge

0 0
• Beta particles are high speed electrons β or e
-1 -1
• Mass number is 0 proton number is -1
• Negative charge

• Gamma rays are high frequency electromagnetic waves (У) .

Mass number is 0
proton number is 0,
no charge
2 Penetrating Power
This refers to the ability of radioactive emissions to pass through
matter.
Alpha particles are the least penetrating as they are stopped by a thin
piece of paper.
Beta particles have medium penetration as they can pass through
paper but cannot pass through a few cm of aluminum.
Gamma rays are the most penetrating they can pass through thick lead.
Diagram
showing
penetrating
power
3.Ionizing effect

• This refers to the ability of the radioactive emission to remove electrons

from matter.
• Alpha particles are the most ionizing because of their large mass and
charge as well as slow speed which enables them to spend more time in
contact with matter.
• Beta particles have medium ionizing effect because of their small mass
and charge and high speed which means they spend less time in contact
with matter.
• Gamma rays have no ionizing effect as they have no mass and no charge.
 • When the radioactive particles are passed
Effect of through an electric of magnetic field, they
passing are deflected so that they move in a curve,
according to their mass and charge.
through • The first diagram shows effect of passing
magnetic or radioactive emissions through an electric
field.
electric field
Effect of passing through a magnetic field

• The radioactive particles are an electric field they have a magnetic

field that is perpendicular to their direction of motion.
• When placed in an electric field the particles experience a deflecting
force which causes them to move in a curve.
• Terms used to describe deflection
• Particles are deflected into paper when they move away from you
• Particles are deflected out of paper when they move towards you
Detecting Radiation
• Human senses cannot detect alpha, beta or gamma radiation, so we
need equipment to do this.
The photographic film

• Photographic film
• Photographic film goes darker
when it absorbs radiation, just
like it does when it absorbs
visible light. The more radiation
the film absorbs, the darker it is
when it is developed.
• People who work with radiation
wear film badges, which are
checked regularly to monitor the
levels of radiation absorbed.
Geiger-Muller tube (GM Tube)
• The Geiger-Muller tube detects ionizing radiation (Alpha and Beta
radiation). Each time it absorbs radiation, it transmits an electrical
pulse to a counting machine. This makes a clicking sound or displays
the count rate. The greater the frequency of clicks, or the higher the
count rate, the more radiation the Geiger-Muller tube is absorbing.
Background radiation
• Radiation from natural sources and man made sources around us all
the time is called Background Radiation.
Sources of background radiation
Uses of radioactive isotopes
• Radioactive isotopes have several uses in medicine and in industry .
As Tracers
• Radioactive isotopes are effective tracers because their radioactivity is easy
to detect. A tracer is a substance that can be used to follow the pathway of
that substance through some structure. For instance, leaks in underground
water pipes can be discovered by running some tritium-containing water
through the pipes and then using a Geiger counter to locate any radioactive
tritium subsequently present in the ground around the pipes.
• Tracers can also be used to follow the steps of a complex chemical reaction.
After incorporating radioactive atoms into reactant molecules, scientists can
track where the atoms go by following their radioactivity. One excellent
example of this is the use of carbon-14 to determine the steps involved in
photosynthesis in plants.
As thickness Gauge or volume Gauge

The spacing of the rollers that determines the thickness of the

sheet of paper is controlled by a device that takes into account
the paper thickness measured from the attenuation of the beta
electron beam of a radioactive source. The use of beta
radiation is adapted to the obstacle formed by the paper.
Gamma rays would cross it also easily while alpha rays would
be absorbed before reaching the detector.
Radioactive Dating
• Radioactive isotopes are useful for establishing the ages of various objects. The half-
life of radioactive isotopes is unaffected by any environmental factors, so the isotope
acts like an internal clock. For example, if a rock is analyzed and is found to contain a
certain amount of uranium-235 and a certain amount of its daughter isotope, we can
conclude that a certain fraction of the original uranium-235 has radioactively decayed.
If half of the uranium has decayed, then the rock has an age of one half-life of uranium-
235, or about 4.5 × 109 y.

• One isotope, carbon-14, is particularly useful in determining the age of once-living

artifacts. A tiny amount of carbon-14 is produced naturally in the upper reaches of the
atmosphere, and living things incorporate some of it into their tissues, building up to a
constant, albeit very low, level. Once a living thing dies, it no longer acquires carbon-
14; as time passes the carbon-14 that was in the tissues decays. (The half-life of
carbon-14 is 5,370 y.) If a once-living artifact is discovered and analyzed many years
after its death and the remaining carbon-14 is compared to the known constant level,
an approximate age of the artifact can be determined.
Radioactive isotopes in medicine
• Destroying cancer cells
• Gamma rays can be directed through the body to target tumours that
cannot be treated with conventional surgery.

• The positioning and the intensity of the gamma ray sources are
carefully calculated to ensure that the cancer cells receive enough
radiation to kill them whilst the surrounding tissue remains in a
healthy condition.
Sterilising medical instruments

• Medical instruments are too expensive to be thrown away once they

have been used, so they are washed several times in very hot water
and then resealed in plastic wrapping. Then the whole package is
irradiated with a dose of gamma rays. Any bacteria in the container
are now destroyed and the instruments remain sterile until the
package is opened
Irradiation of food
• The radiation emitted by some radioactive substances can be used to
kill microorganisms on a variety of foodstuffs, extending the shelf life
of these products. Produce such as tomatoes, mushrooms, sprouts,
and berries are irradiated with the emissions from cobalt-60 or
cesium-137. This exposure kills a lot of the bacteria that cause
spoilage, so the produce stays fresh longer. Eggs and some meat, such
as beef, pork, and poultry, can also be irradiated. Contrary to the
belief of some people, irradiation of food does not make the food
itself radioactive.