Properties of alpha, beta and gamma radiation

These different types of radiation have different properties. 

Alpha radiation is made up of quite large packets of particles, two neutrons and two protons, but no electrons. It consequently has two positive charges associated with it. In fact it is similar to the nucleus of a helium atom and so can be represented as 2He2+. Because it is quite large, it does not move too quickly or very far when it spurts out of the nucleus of a radioactive atom. In its short lifetime it picks up a few electrons and becomes helium gas. It usually picks up these electrons from the air or material in which it is packed. 

However, within these few centimetres it can be quite dangerous to body tissues. It is typically stopped by about 2 cm of air. It is stopped by a few sheets of writing paper, and certainly stopped by a thin sheet of metal. Because they have a mass of 4 and some movement energy, alpha particles can do considerable damage to body cells if they are in close proximity, and particularly if radioactive material is ingested. 

Alpha particles (and also beta and gamma rays) given off by natural rocks around us will generally not damage us, as surrounding materials and air render them harmless. This process is called natural radioactivity or background radioactivity , 

Each radioactive isotope has a similar breakdown pattern before it ends up some millions of years later as a stable, nonradioactive isotope, usually lead. There are a few different series like the one shown. 

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Alpha Particles Beta Particles Gamma Rays Properties of Alpha, Beta, and Gamma Radiation... 

Learning Goal Important properties of alpha, beta, and gamma radiation are summarized in Table 10.1. 

Although the devices outlined above are the most commonly used for evaluating total alpha, beta, and gamma radiation, other methods and other devices can be used. In addition, local conditions (i.e., temperature, humidity) or the properties of the specific radionuclides emitting the radiation may make other types of devices or other methods more optimal to achieve the goals of the survey than the devices noted above. There, experts or individual vendors should be consulted to determine the appropriate measurement device for any specific application. 

There are three basic kinds of radiation that medical staff can expect to see alpha, beta, and gamma radiation. These have distinct properties that are summarized in the following ... 

Considerable attention has been directed toward development of IR spectral analytical techniques for HMX and related compds. Ref 56 discusses the analysis of alpha, gamma and delta HMX in beta HMX, and presents a detailed literature survey of the properties of HMX polymorphs, and hazard.aspects connected with the transitions between the stable beta form and its polymorphs, Spectrophotometric analysis of HMX in PBX 9404 (a plastic bonded expl) is documented in Ref 53. IR techniques have also been useful in. the determination of the effects of Idw level gamma radiation on the thermal sensitivity of HMX, RDX and HMX—RDX mixts (Ref 61)... 

The basic information in the study of sorption processes is the quantity of substances on the interfaces. In order to measure the sorbed quantity accurately, very sensitive analytical methods have to be applied because the typical amount of particles (atoms, ions, and molecules) on the interfaces is about I0-5 mol/m2. In the case of monolayer sorption, the sorbed quantity is within this range. As the sorbed quantity is defined as the difference between quantities of a given substance in the solution and/or in the solid before and after sorption processes (surface excess concentration, Chapter 1, Section 1.3.1), all methods suitable for the analysis of solid and liquid phases can be applied here, too. These methods have been discussed in Sections 4.1 and 4.2. In addition, radioisotopic tracer method can also be applied for the accurate measurement of the sorbed quantities. On the basis of the radiation properties of the available isotopes, gamma and beta spectroscopy can be used as an analytical method. Alpha spectroscopy may also be used, if needed however, it necessitates more complicated techniques and sample preparation due to the significant absorption of alpha radiation. The sensitivity of radioisotopic labeling depends on the half-life of the isotopes. With isotopes having medium half-time (days-years), 10 14-10-10 mol can be measured easily. 

Unlike the problems associated with measuring alpha and beta activity in water in the field, the properties of gamma radiation allow it to be measured relatively well in water samples in the field. The standard instrumentation used to measure gamma radiation from water samples in the field is a sodium iodide (Nal) scintillator. 

Scientists have known since 1896 that many nuclides are radioactive—that is, they spontaneously emit radiation. Early studies of radioactive nuclei, or radionuclides, by the New Zealand physicist Ernest Rutherford in 1897 showed that there are three common types of radiation with markedly different properties alpha (a), beta (f3), and gamma (y) radiation, named after the first three letters of the Greek alphabet. 

As you may recall, isotopes are atoms of the same element that have different numbers of neutrons. Isotopes of atoms with unstable nuclei are called radioisotopes. These unstable nuclei emit radiation to attain more stable atomic configurations in a process called radioactive decay. During radioactive decay, unstable atoms lose energy by emitting one of several types of radiation. The three most common types of radiation are alpha (a), beta ((3), and gamma (7). Table 25-2 summarizes some of their important properties. Later in this chapter you ll learn about other types of radiation that may be emitted in a nuclear reaction. 

The three most common types of radiation are alpha (a), beta ((3), and gamma (7). Table 24.2 summarizes some of their important properties. Later in this chapter, you will learn about other types of radiation that can be emitted in a nuclear reaction. 

The three most common kinds of radiation given off when a radionuclide decays are alpha (a), beta (j8), and gamma (y) radiation. (Section 2.2) A TABLE 21.1 summarizes some of the important properties of these types of radiation. As just described, alpha radiation consists of a stream of helium-4 nuclei known as alpha particles, which we denote as He or 2 . 

It was only the discovery of a new physical phenomenon known as radioactivity that presented scientists with a method which contributed to a considerable expansion of our knowledge of the properties and structure of matter and to a significant increase in the number of chemical elements in the periodic system. At the early stage of the studies of radioactivity three types of radiation were found alpha rays (fluxes of the nuclei of helium atoms with the positive charge of two), beta rays (fluxes of electrons with the negative charge of one), and gamma rays (these are in fact rays similar to X-rays). 

Some radionuclides are emitting a combined spectrum of radiation. One type of the radiation spectrum (alpha or beta) is used for its therapeutic properties the other type of the radiation spectrum (gamma) might be used for localisation of the tracer and the targeted tissue or for dosimetry. These radiopharmaceuticals are called theranostics. 

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