a) Radiation

• the two qualities of radiation

• random

• spotaneous

• radiation is random because…

• the time a nucleus decays is not predictable

• each nucleus in a sample has the same probability of decaying

• radiation is spontaneous because…

• the probability of decay is not affected by external factors

• alpha radiation

• two protons + two neutrons

• the charge of alpha radiation

• +2e

• two qualities of alpha radiation

• highly ionising

• short-range

• alpha radiation is highly ionising and has a short-range because…

• it has a large mass and charge

• so it collides with and exterts large (electrostatic) forces on surrounding particles

• beta-minus radiation

• one electron

• beta-plus radiation

• one positron

• the charge of beta-minus radiation

• -e

• the charge of beta-plus radiation

• +e

• two qualities of beta radiation

• moderately ionising

• moderate-range

• beta radiation is moderately ionising and moderate-range because…

• it has a small mass and charge

• so it collides with and exterts small (electrostatic) forces on surrounding particles

• gamma radiation

• gamma photons

• the charge of gamma radiation

• 0

• two qualities of gamma radiation

• lowly ionising

• long-range

• gamma radiation is lowly ionising and long-range because…

• it has no mass or charge

• so it does not collide with or extert any (electrostatic) forces on surrounding particles