Types of Radioactive Emission
Physics: AQA GCSE Higher, topic 4.2.5
Types of Radioactive Emission
There are three types of ionising radiation and they vary in their ability to ionise and penetrate substances:
Alpha radiation
- Each alpha particle contains two protons and two neutrons.
- Alpha particles have a relative mass of 4, so they are big and heavy.
- Alpha radiation is strongly ionising.
- Alpha radiation is less able to penetrate materials
- It is stopped by a small amount of matter (e.g. paper).
Beta radiation
- Beta radiation is made up of high-energy electrons.
- Beta radiation is more ionising than gamma radiation but less ionising than alpha radiation.
- Beta radiation is less penetrative than gamma radiation but more penetrative than alpha radiation.
- It can pass through paper but is stopped by aluminium foil.
Gamma radiation
- Gamma radiation is weakly ionising.
- Gamma radiation is highly penetrative.
- It is stopped only by centimetres of lead or meters of concrete.
Test yourself on Types of Radioactive Emission
What is the relative mass of an alpha particle?
Which type of radiation is made up of high energy electrons?
Which of the following statements about radiation emissions are true?