Radioactive Decay Activity and Half-Life Quiz

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Questions and Answers

What is the definition of activity of a radioactive source?

The activity of a radioactive source is the number of nuclei that decay each second.

Explain what the half-life of a radioactive source represents.

The half-life is the time taken for half the nuclei in the source to decay.

What are the three factors that determine the biological effect of radiation?

The absorbed dose, the type of radiation, and the type of tissue absorbing the radiation.

What is the relationship between radiation weighting factor and equivalent dose?

The equivalent dose is the product of the absorbed dose and the radiation weighting factor. Signup and view all the answers

How is equivalent dose rate typically measured and what are the common units used?

Equivalent dose rate is usually measured in mSv y-1 or Sv h-1. Signup and view all the answers

What are some natural sources of background radiation?

Natural sources include radon gas, gamma rays from the ground, carbon and potassium in the body, and cosmic rays. Signup and view all the answers

What are some artificial sources of radiation mentioned in the text?

Artificial sources include medical uses (e.g. X-rays), fallout from weapons testing, nuclear accidents (e.g. Chernobyl), and nuclear waste. Signup and view all the answers

What are the three main types of nuclear radiation mentioned in the text?

Alpha, beta, and gamma Signup and view all the answers

What is ionisation and which type of radiation is the most strongly ionising according to the text?

Ionisation is the addition or removal of an electron from an uncharged atom. Alpha radiation is the most strongly ionising. Signup and view all the answers

What are isotopes and how do unstable isotopes differ from stable ones?

Isotopes are atoms of the same element with different numbers of neutrons. Unstable isotopes undergo radioactive decay, emitting nuclear radiation, while stable isotopes do not. Signup and view all the answers