1. STARTER
WHAT QUESTIONS DO YOU WANT ANSWERED ABOUT NUCLEAR RADIATION?
Write on a post-it note questions you have about Nuclear radiation and stick them onto the whiteboard.
Can we answer any of these now as a class?

2. Learning objectives
Review the characteristics of the 3 types of nuclear radiation. (D)
Identify the penetrating power and range of type of radiation. (C)
Explain what is meant by ionizing radiation and relate to the three types and applications of this. (B)
Compare and contrast the effect of magnetic and electric fields of nuclear radiation. (A)
Keywords:
Proton Ion
Neutron Ionisation
Electron Magnetic Field
Charge Electric Field
NOTICES: …………….

3. REVIEW WHAT ARE THE THREE TYPES OF NUCLEAR RADIATION?
EXPLAIN ALL YOU CAN ABOUT EACH TYPE OF NUCLEAR RADIATION.
(Draw if it helps)

4. Alpha Radiation - α
An alpha particle consists of 2 protons and 2 neutrons.
An alpha particles relative mass is 4 and relative charge is +2 α 4 2
By how much does relative mass number of the atom change?
Reduces by 4
Does anything else change?
Atomic number reduces by 2

5. β Beta Radiation - β Stays the same Does anything else change?
A beta particle consists of an electron emitted when a neutron in the nucleus turns into a proton.
A Beta particles relative mass is effectively 0 and relative charge is -1 β -1
By how much does relative mass number of the atom change?
Stays the same
Does anything else change?
Atomic number increase by 1

6. Gamma Radiation - γ
Gamma radiation is a high energy, high frequency wave.
Gamma radiation has no mass and no charge as it is wave.
By how much does relative mass number of the atom change?
No change
Does anything else change?
No change

7. Which type of nuclear radiation is the most dangerous?
What is the worst?
Which type of nuclear radiation is the most dangerous?
THINK – PAIR - SHARE α β γ

8. Match each type of radiation to the material that stops it.
Penetrating Power
The different types of nuclear radiation have different levels of penetration power and range.
Match each type of radiation to the material that stops it.
Explain you answers. α
(alpha)
Paper
Lead
α, β or γ
Aluminium + β
(beta) - γ
(gamma)

9. Penetrating Power - α
The different types of nuclear radiation have different levels of penetration power and range. α
Paper
Lead
(alpha)
Aluminium +
Alpha radiation has the lowest penetrating power, it can be stopped by a thin sheet of paper or even 5 cm of air.

10. Also a range of a few metres in air.
Penetrating Power - β
Beta radiation can travel through a thin sheet of paper but can be stopped by a thin piece of aluminium (5mm thick).
Paper
Lead
Aluminium
Also a range of a few metres in air. β
(beta) -

11. Its range in air is unlimited.
Penetrating Power - γ
Gamma radiation has high penetrating power and high range. Gamma requires lead (several cm thick) or 1 metre thick concrete to be stopped.
Its range in air is unlimited.
Paper
Lead
Aluminium γ
(gamma)

12. Ionizing Power PHYSICS RECAP QUESTION: What is an ion?
An important aspect of nuclear radiation is ‘ionizing power’ – but what does this mean?
PHYSICS RECAP QUESTION: What is an ion?
What is the overall charge of the atom shown?
0, as same number of protons (+) and electrons (-).
What can atoms most easily lose or gain?
Electrons/negative charge
What is the overall charge on the atom shown now?
+1, it now has an overall charge and is an ion.
Ionizing power is different types of radiations ability to cause other atoms to lose electrons and therefore form ions

13. Ionizing Power
Which type of nuclear radiation do you think is the most ionizing and which is the least ionizing? Explain… α
(alpha) γ
(gamma) β
(beta) + -
Most ionizing
Least ionizing
Very ionizing
Moderately ionizing
Weakly
ionizing
Alpha has the largest charge and so ionizes atoms easily as it passes them.
Beta has a smaller charge than alpha and so moderately ionizes atoms as it passes them. Gamma is the least ionizing radiation as it does not interact with atoms as much when it passes them.

14. Properties of Nuclear Radiation
Complete the table below
Type of Radiation
Symbol
Range in Air
Stopped by
ionizing ability
Alpha
Beta
Gamma
Some help:
weak
Aluminium γ
5cm
Concrete
unlimited α 1m
moderate
Thin paper
strong β
Lead

15. Properties of Nuclear Radiation
Complete the table below
Type of Radiation
Symbol
Range in Air
Stopped by
ionizing ability
Alpha α
5cm
Thin paper
Strong
Beta β 1m
Few mm Aluminium
Moderate
Gamma γ
unlimited
cms of lead
1m thick concrete
Weak

16. Dangers of Radioactivity
Nuclear radiation is dangerous due to ionization (knocking electrons out of atoms, making them charged).
Why is this dangerous to living cells?
When atoms in living cells become ionized one of three things usually happen – the cell dies, the cell repairs itself, or the cell mutates incorrectly and can become cancerous.
If nuclear radiation is dangerous, how come we use it to treat some cancers?

17. How can we detect nuclear radiation?
GM counter -
Xray -
Badge -
Geiger-Muller detector
Photographic Film
Where would these be used and why?

18. How can we detect nuclear radiation?
Photographic film goes darker when it absorbs radiation. Therefore the more radiation the film is exposed to the darker it will appear once developed.
Why can you clearly see the bones of the hand in the
x-ray and faintly see the flesh around the bones?
GM counter -
Xray -
Badge -
Photographic Film

19. A Geiger counter detects radiation, but how?
METAL TUBE
NEGATIVE
MICA WINDOW
GAS
POSITIVE
RADIOACTIVE SOURCE
COUNTER
Watch the animation of the Geiger-Muller counter in use. Think about what nuclear radiation can do to atoms and what the circuit needs to count.

20. Geiger Counter
The counter needs a closed circuit in order to work/count. So how can the negative and positive terminals be connected for a current flow through the gas?
METAL TUBE
NEGATIVE
MICA WINDOW
GAS
POSITIVE
RADIOACTIVE SOURCE
COUNTER
The nuclear radiation ionizes the gas inside the tube, therefore with ions formed a flow of charge can momentarily flow through this path completeing the circuit and therefore counting the presence of nuclear radiation.

21. Deflection by a magnetic field
What do you expect to happen to each type of nuclear radiation as it passes through a magnetic field? Explain your answer. +
NORTH +
Magnet - - -
SOUTH

22. Deflection by a magnetic field+
NORTH + - -
SOUTH
Magnet -
Explain why the beta curves towards the magnetic north pole?
Explain why the alpha particle curves towards the magnetic north pole?
Explain why the gamma wave does not curve at all?
Why does the beta particle curve much more than the alpha particle?

23. Deflection by an electric field
What do you expect to happen to each type of nuclear radiation as it passes through a magnetic field? Explain your answer. + + - -

24. Deflection by an electric field+ + - -
Explain in detail what has happened to each type of nuclear radiation as it travels through the electric field between the charged plates.
Compare and contrast these.

25. Review of Nuclear Radiation Properties
Which type of nuclear radiation is most ionizing and has the lowest range in air?
Which type of nuclear radiation is the least ionizing and has the greatest range in air?
What is required to stop beta radiation?
Inside a radiation badge there are sections with small sheets of copper, aluminium and lead, why is this?
Explain what is meant by ionizing radiation.
Explain why ionizing radiation is dangerous.
Explain what happens to gamma radiation in magnetic or electric field – draw if it helps.
How does the path change for a charged particle in a magnetic field? Give an example.
Explain how you could use a geiger-muller counter to test the range of different types nuclear radiation.
Badge -