Radioactivity ☢️

Question 1

What is the range of alpha radiation in air?

Answer 1

2cm

Question 2

What can alpha radiation be stopped by?

Answer 2

A sheet of thin paper

Question 3

What is the range of beta radiation in air?

Answer 3

1m

Question 4

What can beta radiation be stopped by?

Answer 4

3cm of aluminium

Question 5

What can gamma radiation be stopped by?

Answer 5

Can be reduced by centimetres of lead

Question 6

Why is radioactive decay considered random?

Answer 6

• Cannot predict when a particular nucleus will decay
• Cannot predict which nucleus will decay next
• Each nucleus has an equal chance of decaying

Question 7

Why is radioactive decay considered spontaneous?

Answer 7

• Decay is not affected by other nuclei in the sample
• Decay is not affected by external factors such as temperature and pressure

Question 8

Define half life

Answer 8

Average time taken for half the nuclei in a sample to decay.

Question 9

Define activity

Answer 9

The number of nuclei decaying per unit time