YEAR 12 PHYSICS – RADIOACTIVITY 1

5 minutes

STARTER ACTIVITY
1. An atoms contains electrons, protons and neutrons. Which of these particles
a. are outside the nucleus
b. are uncharged
c. Have a negative charge
d. are much lighter than the others.

2. An aluminium atom has an atomic number of 13 and a mass number of 27.

Find the number of
a. protons
b. electrons
c. neutrons 2
 KEY WORDS
OBJECTIVES
i. Atomic number
At the end of this lesson, students should be
ii. Atomic mass
able to:-
iii. Isotope
1. Describe the structure of an atom .
iv. Nuclear fission
2. Define atomic number, atomic mass and
v. Nuclear fusion
Isotope of an element..
vi. Radioactivity
3. Explain nuclear fission and nuclear fusion.
vii. Half-life
4. Define radioactivity and explain types of
viii. Background radiation
radioactive decay.
5. State applications of radioactivity.
6. Define half-life of a radioactive material.
7. Explain background radiation.
LESSON OBJECTIVE(S) 3
 ATOMIC MODEL
The Structure of the Atom
• Atoms have a tiny, dense nucleus at their centre, with
electrons orbiting around the nucleus.
• The radius of the nucleus is over 10,000 times smaller
than the whole atom, but it contains almost all of the
mass of the atom.
• They consist of small dense positively charged nuclei,
surrounded by negatively charged electrons.
ATOMIC STRUCTURE
 ALPHA PARTICLE SCATTERING
Evidence for the structure of the atom comes from the study of α-particle scattering
When α-particles were fired at thin pieces of gold foil:
• The majority of them go straight through (A).
This happens because the atom is mainly empty
space.

• Some are deflected through small angles (B).

This happens because the positive α-particles are
repelled by the positive nucleus which contains
most of its mass .

• A very small number are deflected straight back

(C) This is because the nucleus is extremely small
NUCLEUS
NUCLEUS
 ISOTOPES
Isotopes are atoms (of the same element) that have equal numbers of protons but different numbers of neutrons
 RADIOACTIVE DECAY
• Some isotopes are unstable - usually because of their large size
or because the number of protons and neutrons within them are
out of balance.
• As a result, these isotopes will decay - emitting radiation in order
to reduce their size or bring them back into balance.
• Radioactivity is the spontaneous disintegration of
unstable nuclei of the atom of an element by the
emission of alpha (𝜶 −) particles, beta (𝜷 −) particles
and gamma (𝜸 −) radiation with the production of
energy (heat).
 RADIOACTIVE DECAY
• ALPHA EMISSION
• Alpha particles are high energy particles made up of 2 protons and 2 neutrons
(It is emitted from large unstable nuclei).

• When an alpha particle is emitted from a nucleus:

The nucleus loses 2 protons : The proton (atomic) number decreases by 2
The nucleus loses 4 particles (nucleons) in tota l: The nucleon (mass) number decreases by 4

Equation for alpha emission:

 RADIOACTIVE DECAY
• BETA EMISSION
• A beta particle is a high energy electron emitted from the nucleus.

• It is emitted when a neutron in the nucleus suddenly changes into a proton - an electron is
created in order to balance the positive charge of the proton.

• When a beta particle is emitted from a nucleus:

The number of protons in the nucleus increases by 1:The proton (atomic) number increases by 1.
The total number of particles in the nucleus remains the same: The nucleon (mass) number
doesn’t change
 RADIOACTIVE DECAY
• GAMMA EMISSION
• Gamma (γ) rays are high energy electromagnetic waves
• They are emitted by nuclei that need to lose some energy
• If these particles hit other atoms, they can knock out electrons, ionising the atom
 TYPES OF RADIOACTIVITY
1. NATURAL RADIOACTIVITY:
Is the spontaneous disintegration of an unstable nuclide by the emission of 𝛼 − particle and or 𝛽 −
particle or 𝛾 − radiation or a combination of any two or all three with energy released.
For natural radioactivity to occur, the proton number Z ≥ 82.
Examples

(i) Radium – 226 decays to Radon – 222 by emitting an 𝛼 − particle.

𝟐𝟐𝟔
𝟖𝟖𝑹𝒂 → 𝟒𝟐𝑯𝒆 + 𝟐𝟐𝟐 𝟖𝟔𝑹𝒏 + Energy

(ii) Radon – 222 decays to Radium – 222 by emitting 2𝛽 − particle.

𝟐𝟐𝟐 𝟎 𝟐𝟐𝟐
𝟖𝟔 𝑹𝒏 → 𝟐 −𝟏𝒆 + 𝟖𝟖𝑹𝒂 + Energy

(iii) Uranium – 238 decays to thorium – 230 by emitting two 𝛼 − particles and two
𝛽 −particles.
𝟐𝟑𝟖
𝟗𝟐𝑼 → 𝟐 𝟒𝟐𝑯𝒆 + 𝟐 −𝟏𝟎𝒆 + 𝟐𝟑𝟎𝟗𝟎𝑻𝒉 + Energy
 TYPES OF RADIOACTIVITY
2. ARTIFICIAL RADIOACTIVITY:
Is a phenomenon in which an ordinary material not normally radioactive is made radioactive by
bombarding it with radioactive particles.

Examples
(i) Non radioactive aluminum is bombarded with an 𝛼 − particle to produce a non – stable
phosphorus which disintegrates spontaneously into sable silicon.
4 30 1 30 0 1
2𝐻𝑒 + 2713𝐴𝑙 → 15𝑃 + 0𝑛 → 14𝑆𝑖 + 1𝑒 + 0𝑛 + 𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑟𝑔𝑦
Helium Aluminum Phosphorus Neutron Silicon Positron Neutron

(ii) Nitrogen is bombarded with an 𝛼 − particle to produce an unstable

isotope of fluorine which disintegrate into an oxygen nucleus and a proton.
4 14 18 17 1
2𝐻𝑒 + 7𝑁 → 9𝐹 → 8𝑂 + 1𝐻 + 𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑟𝑔𝑦
Helium Nitrogen Fluorine Oxygen Proton
 IONIZATION
• Ionization is the process where radiation
removes an electron from an atom to
produce an ion.

• Radiations that remove electrons from

atoms are called ionizing radiations.

• Examples of ionizing radiations are

gamma radiation, ultraviolet radiation
and X-rays.

• Examples of non-ionizing radiations are

visible light and micro wave.
 THE PROPERTIES OF RADIATION
• Alpha is by far the most ionizing form of radiation.
• Alpha particles leave a dense trail of ions behind them, affecting virtually every atom they meet.
• Because of this they quickly lose their energy and so have a short range.
• Their short range makes them relatively harmless if handled carefully, but they have the
potential to be extremely dangerous if the alpha emitter enters the body.

➢ Beta particles are moderately ionizing.

➢ The particles create a less dense trail of ions than alpha, and consequently have a longer range.
➢ They tend to be more dangerous than alpha because they are able to travel further and
penetrate the skin, and yet are still ionizing enough to cause significant damage.

✓ Gamma is the least ionizing form of radiation (although it is still dangerous).

✓ Because Gamma rays don’t produce as many ions as alpha or beta, they are more penetrating
and have a greater range
✓ This can make them hazardous in large amounts
THE PROPERTIES OF RADIATION
THE PROPERTIES OF RADIATION
 DEFLECTION IN ELECTRIC FIELDS
• Because they have opposite
charges, alpha and beta particles
are deflected in opposite
directions

• Beta is deflected by more than

alpha, because beta particles
have a much smaller mass

• Gamma is not deflected because

gamma rays have no charge
DEFLECTION IN MAGNETIC FIELDS
 DETECTING RADIATION
• When radiation passes close to an atom, it knocks out electrons, ionising the
atom.

• Radiation detectors work by detecting the presence of these ions or the

chemical changes that they produce.

• Examples of radiation detectors include:

✓ Photographic film (often used in badges)
✓ Geiger-Muller (GM) tubes
✓ Ionization chambers
✓ Scintillation counters
✓ Spark counters
GEIGER MULLER(GM) TUBE
SCINTILLATION COUNTER
SCINTILLATION COUNTER
 APPLICATIONS OF RADIOACTIVITY
RADIOTHERAPY
• Radiotherapy is the name given to the treatment of cancer using radiation
(Chemotherapy is treatment using chemicals).

• Although radiation can cause cancer, it is also highly effective at treating it.

• Radiation can kill living cells. Some cells, such as bacteria and cancer cells, are more
susceptible to radiation than others.

• Beams of gamma rays are directed at the cancerous tumour.

• (Gamma rays are used because they are able to penetrate the body, reaching the tumour).

• The beams are moved around to minimise harm to healthy tissue whilst still being aimed at the
tumour.
 APPLICATIONS OF RADIOACTIVITY
STERILIZATION
• Medical instruments are sterilized by exposing them to gamma rays.

• The gamma rays kill bacteria on the instruments and destroy

viruses.

• Gamma rays are far more effective at killing bacteria than either
boiling water or chemical treatment and are able to penetrate the
instruments reaching areas that may otherwise not be properly
sterilised.
 APPLICATIONS OF RADIOACTIVITY
TRACERS
• Tracers are radioactive isotopes that can be added to some fluid so that the flow of that fluid can
be monitored.

➢ Tracers have numerous uses in both medicine and industry:

▪ In medicine tracers can be added to the blood to check blood flow around the body and search for
blockages (blood clots).
▪ In industry tracers may be added into an oil pipeline in order to check for any leaks.

In all cases:
✓ The amount used is kept to a minimum to reduce people’s exposure to radiation.
✓ Isotopes are chosen that have short half-lives of around a few hours: long enough to carry out the
procedure, but not so long that they cause long-term harm.
✓ Gamma radiation is used as it is highly penetrating (you can detect it) and low ionising
(minimising harm).
 APPLICATIONS OF RADIOACTIVITY
MEASURING THE THICKNESS OF MATERIALS
• As a material moves above a beta
source, the particles that are able to
penetrate it can be monitored using a
detector.
• If the material gets thicker more particles
will be absorbed, meaning that less will
get through.
• If the material gets thinner the opposite
happens.
• This allows the machine to make
adjustments to keep the thickness of the
material constant.