AI Tutor - Lucy
This GCSE Physics quiz explores radioactive substances, including half life, activity and the risks and uses of radiation in medicine, industry and the environment.
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You can find more about this topic by visiting BBC Bitesize - Radioactive decay and half-life
An alpha particle is the nucleus of a helium atom
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Fissile means that the nucleus can be made to split. Uranium-235 is the only naturally-occurring substance that can sustain a chain reaction of nuclear fission
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Gamma has the highest energy of all of the waves of the electromagnetic spectrum
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Like alpha radiation, beta can be deflected by electrical and magnetic fields as they are both charged particles
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In nuclear reactors, lead would be too expensive so they use concrete that is several metres thick
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Varying amounts of exposure to different types of radiation can cause a wide range of ailments, with prolonged exposure causing death. This is why it is very important to ensure safety procedures are adhered to when dealing with radioactive substances
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It is usually connected to some sort of counter to register the intensity of the radiaoctivity
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At present we don't have a good way to dispose of nuclear waste so we encase it in a thick layer of concrete and bury it in the ground. This stops the radiation from being harmful to objects near it, however the radiation produced in nuclear reactors has a very long half-life so the material will need to remain buried for a very long time
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Inside the body, alpha is the most dangerous as it can't get out of the body and will damage cells. However, outside the body, beta and gamma sources are extremely dangerous as they can penetrate the body
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There are reactors that use plutonium but the majority of nuclear power stations use uranium
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