Uses and Dangers of Radioactivity

• Key Question– How can we make use of radioactivity and

what problems are there?

Radioactive tracer in medicine to find brain

tumours

BREAK IN PIPE UNDERGROUND

γ SOURCE USED AS RADIATION WILL NOT BE ABSORBED BY EARTH

Industrial Radioactive tracer: finding break in underground pipe

RADIATION/FAULT IN PIPE DETECTED

STERILIZATION OF SURGICAL EQUIPMENT AND FRESH FOOD

control

Radiation detector

Radiation

source β Rollers to control thickness of paper

CONTROL THICKNESS OF PAPER (β SOURCE)

200 COUNTS/SECOND

CORRECT THICKNESS

PAPER TO THICK

PAPER TOO THICK

150 COUNTS/SECOND

PAPER TO THIN

250 COUNTS/SECOND

control

Radiation detector

Radiation source γ Rollers to control

thickness of paper

CONTROL THICKNESS OF ALUMINIUM/STEEL (γ SOURCE)

200 COUNTS/SECOND

CORRECT THICKNESS

PAPER TO THICK

TOO THICK

150 COUNTS/SECOND

TO THIN

250 COUNTS/SECOND

Your task

• Produce a leaflet outlining the uses that have been described above.

• You may use the ‘Physics for you’ book to help you

• Include as much scientific knowledge as possible