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Physics Form 5
Chapter 5: Radioactivity

Nucleus of an Atom

Radioisotopes Decay

Uses of Radioisotopes

Nuclear Energy

Prepared by: Sharvinder Singh

 Part 1: Nucleus of an Atom

❑ Matter is made up of very small particles called

atoms
❑ Each atom has a very small and very dense core
called nucleus. Most of the mass of atom is
contained in the nucleus
❑ The electrons move in orbits around the nucleus.
❑ There are a lot of empty spaces within atom
❑ A nucleus consists of a number of protons and
neutrons.

❑ Protons and neutrons also known as nucleons.

❑ A proton has a unit positive charge.
❑ A neutron is an uncharged particle of about the
same mass as the proton.
❑ An atom is neutral because it contains an equal
number of negatively charged electrons. So the
net charge is zero.
❑ Proton number, Z, is defined as the number of
protons in a nucleus
❑ The number of electrons = the number of protons
❑ An element is identified by its proton number
❑ Nucleon number, A is defined as the total number
of protons and neutrons in a nucleus.
❑ Number of neutrons, N = A - Z

❑ A nuclide is an atom of a particular structure. Each

element has nucleus with a specific number of
protons.

❑ Proton number of carbon = 6, carbon nucleus has 6

protons. The nucleon number of carbon is 12.
❑ So the number of neutrons in carbon nucleus is
12 – 6 = 6
 Isotopes

❑ Isotopes – atoms with the same proton number but different nucleon
number.
❑ Isotopes have the same chemical properties
❑ However they have different physical properties because their mass
is different.
❑ Some isotopes exist naturally. Isotopes can also be made artificially.
❑ Radioisotopes are isotopes with unstable nucleus that tends to
decay.
 Part 2: Radioisotopes Decay

❑ Radioactivity is the spontaneous and random

disintegration (decay) of unstable nucleus accompanied
by emission of energetic particles or photons.
❑ The nuclei of some atoms are unstable.
❑ The nucleus of an unstable atom will decay to become
more stable by emitting radiation in the form of a particle
or electromagnetic radiation.
❑ Random process means there is no way to tell which
nucleus will decay, and cannot predict when it is going to
decay.
❑ A spontaneous process means the process is not triggered
by any external factors such as temperature or pressure.
❑ Three types radiation:
❖ Alpha particles
❖ Beta particles
❖ Gamma radiation
 Alpha vs Beta vs Gamma
Nature and Fundamental properties of the three types nuclear radiation

CHARACTERISTICS ALPHA, α BETA, β GAMMA,γ

Nature Helium nucleus, Fast moving High frequency
𝟒
𝟐𝑯𝒆 electron EM radiation
Mass High Low No Mass
Charge +𝟐 −𝟏 No charge
Ionizing ability Strong Medium Weak
Penetrating power Weak Medium Strong
Range in air A few cm A few m A few hundred m
Speed Up to 𝟏𝟎% speed Up to 𝟗𝟎% speed 𝟏𝟎𝟎% speed of
of light of light light
Stopped by Skin or thin sheet Thin aluminium Thick lead or
of paper concrete
Deflected by electric Yes Yes No
and magnetic fields
 Ionizing Effect
❑ Radioactive emission has an ionizing effect
❑ The 3 types of radiation are highly energetic and use their
energy to remove electrons from the air molecules when
they pass through air.
❑ The ionization of an atom produces positive ion and
negative ion (electron)
❑ Due to their different charges and masses, they have
different ionizing abilities.
ALPHA BETA GAMMA
 Penetrating Power
❑ The penetrating effect of alpha, beta and gamma radiation
depends on their ionizing power.
❑ Radiation which has a stronger ionizing power will have a
lower penetrating effect.
❑ The radiation emission loses some of its energy each time
an ion pair is produced.
❑ Alpha particles lose energy very quick as they move
through air.
❑ Most of the energy is used to ionize the air molecules.
❑ After a short distance in air, the alpha particles would
have lost almost all energy.
❑ Thus, alpha particles will be left with very less energy to
be used as penetrating power.
 Effects of Electric Field
❑ Alpha and beta particles are deflected in an
electric field because they are charged.
❑ The deflections are in opposite direction
because they carry opposite charges.
❑ The angle of deflection of beta is larger than
alpha because mass of beta < mass of alpha
❑ Gamma rays are not deflected because they do
not carry any charge
 Effects of Magnetic Field
❑ Alpha particles and beta particles are also
deflected when they pass through a magnetic
field while gamma rays are unaffected.
❑ The angle of deflection of beta is larger than
alpha because mass of beta < mass of alpha
❑ Direction of deflection of alpha particles
magnetic field can be found using
Fleming’s left-hand rule.
 Radioactivity (EXTRA NOTES)
❑ A nucleus is unstable if its mass number is too big
❑ Penetrating power of nuclear radiation depends upon the
ionizing power of radiation
❑ Ionizing radiation consist of particles or electromagnetic
waves that are energetic enough to detach electron from
atom or molecules
❑ Most methods of detecting nuclear radiation are based on
these 2 properties:
❖ Ionizing effect of the radiation
❖ Ability of radiation to blacken a photograph plate or
film
 Radioactive Detectors
Gold Leaf Electroscope
❑ Used to detect alpha particles as they
have strong ionization power
❑ When an electroscope is charged, the
gold leaf sticks out, because the
charges on the gold repel the charges
on the metal stalk.
❑ When a radioactive source comes near,
the air is ionized and starts to conduct
electricity.
❑ As the disc is positively charged, the
positive ions are repelled while the
negative ions are attracted to the disc.
❑ As positively charged electroscope is
neutralized by these incoming negative
ions, the gold leaf therefore collapses.
Cloud Chamber

❑ Most suitable to detect alpha particles as they have strong ionization

power
❑ Displays the tracks of charged particlesand path traveled by the ionizing
radiation in air.
❑ The radioactive produces ions in the air that is saturated with alcohol
vapour.
❑ The alcohol vapour condenses on the ions to make the tracks of the
radiation visible.
Cloud Chamber
- Tracks Characteristics:

ALPHA BETA GAMMA

Dense – strong ionization power Very fast beta particles - thin, The gamma rays do not produce
straight tracks - the alpha particle straight tracks. The slower beta clear or continuous tracks due to
has a large mass and momentum particles - short, thick tracks their low ionizing power
so it is not easily deflected which curve in random direction.
Geiger – Muller Tube (G-M Tube)

❑ The most versatile, useful and very sensitive detector of all radiations
❑ When the G-M tube is switched on (no presence of radioactive source),
the ratemeter displays a reading known as the background count rate.
❑ The radioactive emission enters the tube through the mica window and
ionizes the neon gas.
❑ The electrons and positive ions are attracted towards the anode and
cathode respectively.
Geiger – Muller Tube (G-M Tube)

❑ When electrons are collected by the anode, a pulse of current is produces.

❑ The pulses of current are counted by a scaler or ratemeter.
❑ The scaler gives the number of counts over a certain period of time counts
per minute / counts per second.
❑ When the GM tube is used to detect radioactive emission, the background
count rate is subtracted from the count rate obtained.
❑ Background radiation is always present due to natural radioactivity in the
ground, bricks or buildings and cosmic radiation.
Photographic Badge

❑ Is worn by worker in nuclear power stations and in radiation laboratories.

❑ The badge contains a photographic film in a light-proof packet
❑ The parts of the film which had received radiation will be darkened.
❑ The degree of darkening indicates the amount of radiation the person had
been exposed to
Spark Counter

❑ Suitable to detect alpha particles

❑ The spark counter consists of a wire gauze and a thin wire below it.
❑ A high voltage is applied between the gauze and the wire. The voltage is
adjusted until it is just below the value required to produce sparks.
Spark Counter

❑ When a radioactive source is brought near the wire gauze, the radiation
ionizes the air below it. The motion of the ions to the gauze and the wire
causes sparks to be produced.
❑ The spark can be seen and heard.
❑ Spark counters are suitable for alpha particles. Beta particles and gamma
rays produce too few ions to produce sparks.
 Radioactive Decay
❑ Radioactive decay is the process by which unstable atomic
nuclei emit subatomic particles or radiation.
❑ When a radioactive nucleus decays, its nucleus breaks up,
emits an alpha particle or beta particle and energy, and
forms a new atom of a different element.
❑ A parent nuclide X changes into a daughter nuclide Y.
Alpha Decay Beta Decay

Gamma Decay
 Alpha, Beta and Gamma Decay

Alpha Decay Beta Decay

Gamma Decay
 Example 1 Example 2
Strontium – 90 𝟗𝟎 𝟑𝟖 𝑺𝒓 decays to Given 𝟐𝟑𝟐 𝟗𝟎 𝑇ℎ decays to
𝟐𝟎𝟖
𝟖𝟐 𝑃𝑏
yttrium – 90 𝟗𝟎 𝟑𝟗 𝑌 by emitting a by emitting alpha particles and beta
radioactive particle. particles. Determine the number of
a) Write an equation for this decay alpha particles and beta particles
b) What particle is emitted during being emitted?
the decay?
 Example 3
The uranium isotope 𝟐𝟑𝟖𝟗𝟐 𝑈 decays into a stable lead isotopes through
successive emissions of 8 alpha particles and 6 electrons. What is the
proton number and the nucleon number of the lead isotopes?
Chain Reaction
❑ Sometimes the daughter
nuclide of a radioactive is
still unstable.
❑ It will eventually decay into
another nuclide which could
be also still unstable.
❑ This process continues as a
radioactive decay series until
a stable nuclide is reached.
❑ Each decay will emit either
an alpha particle or a beta
particle and may be gamma
rays.
 Half - Life
❑ The half-life T1/2 of a radioactive substance is the time for
half of the radioactive nuclei to decay
❑ Time taken for the number of radioactive nuclide to
disintegrate to half of its initial value
Half - Life
 Example 4 Example 5
Find the value of half – life of the given The radioactive atoms in a substance
radioactive decay decay to become stable atoms. It was
found that after 288 s, 6.25% of the atoms
have not decayed. What is the half – life of
the substance?
 Example 6 Example 7
The half – life of iodine – 131 is 8 days. A A sample of lead – 211 of mass 96 g has a
radioactive sample contains 64 g of iodine half – life of 36.1 minutes.
– 131. Determine the mass of iodine that a) What fraction of the sample has not
has decayed and has not decayed after 24 decayed after 108.3 minutes?
days. b) What is the mass of the decayed
products after this period of time?
 Example 8 Example 9
The figure shows the decay for a Diagram 1 shows a series of decay, starting from Rn
– 222 decaying to Po – 218 by emissions until a
radioactive sample
stable isotope Z is produced.
a) In the decay process, how many α – particles
and β – particles are emitted?
b) Name the isotopes X, Y and Z

a) What is the half – life of the sample?

b) State the value of T.
 Example 10 Example 11
The activity of a radioactive substance is A radioactive substance has an initial
1 activity of 2400 counts per minute. After 1
reduced to of its initial value after 156
16
hour, its activity becomes 300 counts per
minutes. Determine the half – life of the
minute. Determine the half – life of the
radioactive substance
radioactive substance.
 Example 12 Example 13
A radioactive element, X has a half – life Radioactive radium – 226 has a half life of
of 10 minutes. If the original mass of that 1600 years. What is the fraction of the
X radioactive is 32 g, how much time is original amount of nucleus left after 9600
needed for substance X to decay until 4 g? years?
 Example 14 Example 15
a radioactive substance, Z has a half life of 20 1
A wood sample is known to have 64 of its
minutes. original amount of radioactive carbon – 14.
a) How many half – lives has it undergone in what is the age of the wood sample if the half –
1 hour life of carbon – 14 is 5600 years?
b) What is the fraction of the original mass
that has not decayed after 1 hour
 Example 16 Example 17
A radioactive substance, X which has a 7
Given that of a certain amount of
8
half – life of 20 minutes decays to become radioactive element will decay in 12 days.
substance Y. If substance X has 48 g What is the ration of this amount that
originally, what is the mass of substance X remains undecayed after 24 days?
and substance Y after 1 hour