Marie Curie was working with materials that emit alpha, beta and gamma radiation. Explain why alpha, beta and gamma radiation have different penetrating powers i) in air ii) through metals. You should use the data provided and refer to scientific principles to support your explanation. Explain how people working with radioactive materials nowadays are protected from the hazards of radioactive emissions.

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11th Edition
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Publisher:Raymond A. Serway, Chris Vuille
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Marie Curie was working with materials that emit alpha, beta and gamma radiation.

  1. Explain why alpha, beta and gamma radiation have different penetrating powers i) in air ii) through metals. You should use the data provided and refer to scientific principles to support your explanation.
  2. Explain how people working with radioactive materials nowadays are protected from the hazards of radioactive emissions.
  3. Assess the radiation hazards of the conditions under which Marie Curie was working in analysing the radioactive elements found in pitchblende

the link to be used is

https://www.mariecurie.org.uk/who/our-history/marie-curie-the-scientist

 

Lead-206
(stable)
** Lead-214 is also a significant gamma emitter
[Lead-214 J*
0.0000062 seconds
Properties of radioactive emissions
Туре of
Charge Mass Range in air
lonising
Penetration
radiation
effect
Alpha (a) +2
4 u
5 cm
stopped by thin paper
High ionising
effect
Beta (B)
- 1
30 – 100cm
stopped by a few millimetres of
Medium
1860
aluminium
ionising effect
Weak ionising
Attenuated by metals, a
proportion of the radiation
law for intensity passes through aluminium, lead
Gamma
No
No
Follows the
(V)
charge mass
inverse square
effect
Activity of a sample of Protactinium-234 against time
Time
I hours
Activity 850
2
4
8
10
12 14
16
18
20
690
564
465
375
298
246
202
160
134
107
Transcribed Image Text:Lead-206 (stable) ** Lead-214 is also a significant gamma emitter [Lead-214 J* 0.0000062 seconds Properties of radioactive emissions Туре of Charge Mass Range in air lonising Penetration radiation effect Alpha (a) +2 4 u 5 cm stopped by thin paper High ionising effect Beta (B) - 1 30 – 100cm stopped by a few millimetres of Medium 1860 aluminium ionising effect Weak ionising Attenuated by metals, a proportion of the radiation law for intensity passes through aluminium, lead Gamma No No Follows the (V) charge mass inverse square effect Activity of a sample of Protactinium-234 against time Time I hours Activity 850 2 4 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 690 564 465 375 298 246 202 160 134 107
Relative abundance of uranium isotopes in naturally occurring samples
Isotope
Abundance
0.005%
0.7%
99.3%
Decay series for 2**U
Radioactive Isotope
Half Life
Type of Decay
Uranium-238
4.5 billion years
Thorium-234
24 days
Protactinium-234
Uranium-234
245,000 years
Thorium-230
75,000 years
Radium-226
1,600 years
Radon-222
3.8 days
a
Polonium-218
3.1 minutes
Lead-214 **
27 minutes
Bismuth-214
20 minutes
Polonium-214
0.00016 seconds
Lead-210
22 years
Bismuth-210
5 days
Polonium-210
138 days
Transcribed Image Text:Relative abundance of uranium isotopes in naturally occurring samples Isotope Abundance 0.005% 0.7% 99.3% Decay series for 2**U Radioactive Isotope Half Life Type of Decay Uranium-238 4.5 billion years Thorium-234 24 days Protactinium-234 Uranium-234 245,000 years Thorium-230 75,000 years Radium-226 1,600 years Radon-222 3.8 days a Polonium-218 3.1 minutes Lead-214 ** 27 minutes Bismuth-214 20 minutes Polonium-214 0.00016 seconds Lead-210 22 years Bismuth-210 5 days Polonium-210 138 days
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