Ionising Radiation from the Nucleus Quiz
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5 questions, one answer each
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1. What is an alpha particle?
- A. A high-speed electron
- B. Two protons and two neutrons
- C. Electromagnetic radiation
- D. A single proton
2. Which type of radiation is the most penetrating?
- A. Alpha
- B. Beta
- C. Gamma
- D. They are all equally penetrating
3. A sample has a count rate of 400 counts/min and a half-life of 2 hours. What will the count rate be after 6 hours?
- A. 200 counts/min
- B. 100 counts/min
- C. 50 counts/min
- D. 0 counts/min
4. What is the key difference between contamination and irradiation?
- A. Contamination involves unwanted radioactive atoms on/in a material; irradiation is exposure to radiation without becoming radioactive
- B. Irradiation always makes an object radioactive; contamination never does
- C. There is no real difference between them
- D. Contamination only applies to gamma radiation
5. A hospital needs a radioactive source for a diagnostic scan that must clear from a patient's body quickly to minimise long-term exposure. Which property would be most important to consider when selecting the source?
- A. The source should have a very long half-life and be strongly ionising
- B. The source should have a short half-life and emit radiation with good penetration but low ionising power so it can be detected outside the body
- C. The source should be an alpha emitter since alpha is easiest to detect through the body
- D. Half-life is irrelevant for medical uses