P4.

4 Radioactivity Knowledge Organiser

Isotopes 12. Alpha is the least penetrating. I tis

stopped by around 5 cm of air or a
1. All atoms of a particular element thin sheet of paper
have the same number of protons 13. Gamma is the most penetrating. It
2. Isotopes of a particular element is absorbed by several cm of lead
have the same number of protons or 1 m concrete
but a different number of neutrons 14. Beta is absorbed by around 5 mm
3. Some isotopes are stable and some of aluminium sheet
isotopes are unstable 15. Alpha and beta both deflect in an
electrical field as they are both
charged
Radioactivity 16. Alpha is the most ionising, gamma
is the least ionising.
4. Radioactive decay is a random
process by which the nucleus of an Transmutation
unstable isotope emits radiation to
become more stable 17. Transmutation is the changing of
5. The radiation emitted is ionising – it one chemical element into another
is able to knock electrons from 18. When a radioactive element
atoms in its path decays by alpha or beta decay, it
6. Ionising radiation can kill cells or transmutes or decays into a
cause cells to mutate, causing different element
cancer 19. This can be represented by a
decay equation, where an alpha
Radioactive emissions particle can be represented by 𝟒𝟐𝜶
and a beta particle can be
7. There are three types of radiations represented by a −𝟏𝟎𝜷
emitted; alpha, beta and gamma 20. When alpha decay occurs, two
8. An alpha particle consists of two protons and two neutrons are
neutrons and two protons emitted from the nucleus
9. A beta particle consists of a high 238𝑈 → 234 4
92 90𝑇ℎ + 2𝛼
speed electron, emitted from the
nucleus 21. When beta decay occurs, a
10. A gamma ray is electromagnetic neutron changes into a proton and
radiation emits an electron from the nucleus
11. Relative charges and masses: 234 234
+ −10𝛽
90𝑇ℎ → 91𝑃𝑎

Relative Charge 22. When gamma decay occurs, there

mass is no change in the nucleus.
Alpha 4 +2

Beta 1/2000 -1
(negligible)
Gamma No Mass No charge Detecting ionising radiation
P4.4 Radioactivity Knowledge Organiser

23. A Geiger-Mueller counter or tube is measured in sieverts or millisieverts

used to detect ionising radiation. (1000 millisieverts = 1 sievert)
24. The activity is the rate at which a 30. People protect themselves by
source of unstable nuclei decays monitoring their exposure and
25. The count rate is the number of minimising their exposure
decays (counts) recorded each 31. People can minimise their exposure
second by a detector by moving away from the source,
spending as little time as possible in
Half life at-risk areas, shielding themselves
by staying behind protective
26. The half-life of a radioactive barriers made out of thick concrete
isotope is the time it takes for the or thick lead
number of nuclei of the isotope in a 32. Radioactive contamination is the
sample to halve, or the time it takes unwanted presence of materials
for the count rate (or activity) from containing radioactive atoms on
a sample containing the isotope to other materials
fall to half its initial level
Uses of isotopes

33. A medical tracer is a gamma

emitting isotope, which is used for
medical diagnosis. The patient
ingests the tracer and the doctor
can track the isotope as it moves
through the system
34. Gamma radiation in a narrow
beam can be used to target and
destroy cancerous cells
35. An alpha emitting isotope is used in
smoke alarms. The source ionises
the air between two charged
plates and causes a current to
flow. When there is smoke, the
27. Half-life can be determined from a
smoke absorbs the alpha particles,
graph of count rate of number of
the current stops and an alarm
radioactive nuclei, or from data
sounds
36. A gamma emitting isotope is used
to irradiate food and kill bacteria.
Exposure to radiation
37. A beta emitting source is used to
monitor the thickness of aluminium
28. Irradiation is the process of
as it is made
exposing an object to nuclear
radiation. The irradiated object
does not become radioactive.
Background radiation (Physics Only)
29. Radiation dose – a measure of the
amount of exposure to radiation
P4.4 Radioactivity Knowledge Organiser

38. Background radiation is a measure nuclei to form a single larger

of ionising radiation present in the nucleus
environment at a particular 45. This happens in the middle of stars,
location which is not due to the where isotopes of hydrogen nuclei
deliberate introduction of radiation fuse to form helium
sources 46. Fusion needs very high
39. Natural sources contribute the most temperatures and very high
to background radiation; radon pressures to happen
gas (48%), rocks (13%) and cosmic 47. Nuclear fusion could fulfil our
rays (12%) energy needs, but there are many
40. The rest is made up of manmade technical difficulties in replicating
resources (medical 16%, nuclear the conditions for fusion to happen
weapons 0.2%) on earth.

Fission (Physics Only)

41. Nuclear fission is a reaction in which
the nucleus of an atom splits into
two or more smaller nuclei and
energy is release
42. In induced fission, neutrons hit and
are absorbed by atomic nuclei,
which causes them to become
unstable and split, which then
releases further neutrons. These
neutrons then go on to hit more
nuclei, causing a chain reaction
43. A chain reaction is a sequence of

reactions where a reactive product

or by-product causes additional
reactions to take place. The
products become the reactants to
initiate the next reaction
Fusion (Physics Only)
44. Nuclear fusion is the joining or
fusing together of two smaller