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Questions and Answers
What is alpha radiation?
What is alpha radiation?
What happens if alpha-emitting materials enter the human body?
What happens if alpha-emitting materials enter the human body?
Why are special instruments needed to measure alpha radiation?
Why are special instruments needed to measure alpha radiation?
What is a characteristic of alpha radiation?
What is a characteristic of alpha radiation?
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What can detect the presence of alpha radiation?
What can detect the presence of alpha radiation?
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What is not able to penetrate?
What is not able to penetrate?
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Study Notes
Types of Radiation
- There are four major types of radiation: alpha, beta, neutrons, and electromagnetic waves such as gamma rays.
Alpha Radiation
- Alpha radiation is a heavy, very short-range particle, and is actually an ejected helium nucleus.
- Most alpha radiation is not able to penetrate human skin.
- Alpha-emitting materials can be harmful to humans if inhaled, swallowed, or absorbed through open wounds.
- Special training is essential for accurate measurements using instruments designed to measure alpha radiation.
- A thin-window Geiger-Mueller (GM) probe can detect the presence of alpha radiation.
- Alpha radiation is not penetrating and cannot be detected through even a thin layer of water, dust, paper, or other material.
- Alpha radiation travels only a short distance (a few inches) in air, but is not an external hazard.
- Alpha radiation is not able to penetrate clothing.
- Examples of alpha emitters: radium, radon, uranium, thorium.
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Description
Learn about the four major types of radiation, including alpha, beta, neutrons, and electromagnetic waves, and their differences in mass, energy, and penetration depth.
