3. Radiation Detector 3 Gold Leaf electroscope Geiger Muller Tube

4. Radiation Detector 4 Diffusion Cloud Chamber

5. Characteristics of α, β, and γ Radiations 5 Ionizing Power Penetrating Power Deflection by Electric and Magnetic Fields

6. Ionizing Power 6

7. Penetrating Power 7

8. Deflection of α, β, and γ Rays

9. Type of Radiations Alpha ( α) particles > Helium Nucleus ( 4 2 He) > Positive Charge > high mass > a few centimeters range in air > slight deflection in electric/magnetic fields. > strong ionization > can be stopped by thin paper > Pure source: Americium (Am-241)

10. Type of Radiations Beta ( β) particles > High-energy electron ( 0 -1 e) > Negative Charge > low mass > a few meters range in air > great deflection in electric/magnetic f. > weak ionization > can be stopped by aluminium (5mm) > Pure source: Strontium (Sr-90)

11. Type of Radiations Gamma ( γ) rays > High-energy electromagnetic radiation > un-charge > zero mass > a few hundred meters range in air > none deflection in electric/magnetic field. > very weak ionization > can be stopped by thick lead or concrete > source: Cobalt (Co-60) covered by aluminium

12. Radioactive Decay After ejecting particles, a nucleus becomes the nucleus of a different element. It’s called radioactive decay. If the new element is also unstable, the process of decay will continue until there are atoms with stable nuclei.

13. Radioactive Decay Alpha Decay. + Parent nuclide Daughter nuclide Alpha particle (helium nucleus) +

14. Radioactive Decay Beta Decay. + Parent nuclide Daughter nuclide Beta particle (electron) +

15. Radioactive Decay Gamma Rays are usually given off during both Alpha decay and Beta decay. + + + +

16. Half Life 16

17. 17 Half Life

18. 18 Plutonium-238 (plutonium oxide). The plutonium glows in the dark as a result of nuclear fission reactions which release enough energy to increase the metal's temperature to red-heat. The heat produced by plutonium has been used as an energy source on spacecraft.

19. Sample Problems 19 1.A radioactive source has a half-life of 10 minutes. What fraction is left in 1 hour? 2.Carbon-14 has a half-life of 5700 years. A 10 g sample of wood cut recently from a living tree has an activity of 160 counts/minute. A piece of charcoal taken from a prehistoric campsite also weight 10 g but has an activity of 40 counts/minute. Estimate the age of the charcoal.

20. Sample Problems 20 3.The ratio of the number of atoms of argon-40 to potassium-40 in a sample of radioactive rock is 1 : 3. Assuming that there was no potassium in the rock originally and that argon-40 decays to potassium-40 with a half life of 1500 million years, estimate the age of the rock. 4. Radioactive Uranium-238 (U, proton number 92) decays to thorium (Th), emitting an alpha particle and gamma rays. Show this decay reaction as a nuclide equation