PRELIMINARY QUESTIONS 1. Most nuclear radiation carries energy in the range of a

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PRELIMINARY QUESTIONS 1. Most nuclear radiation carries energy in the range of a few million electron volts, or Mev (1 MeV = i 06 eV = 1.6 x i 013 J) regardless ofits type (alpha, beta, or gamma) This means el more slowly than light particles. Make a preli minary guess as to which radiation type will in general interact most strongly with matter, and therefore would be most strongly absorbed as it passes through matter. Consider electrical charge, mass and speed. Explain your reasons. 2. Wh ich radiation type do you predict would interact, in general, least strongly with matter, and so be less absorbed than others? Why? Which radiation type do you predict would have an intermediate level of interaction with matter? Why? 3. You will be using paper and aluminum sheet metal as absorbers for the radiation. Which material has the greatest areal density (that is, a density measure in mass per unit area, which could be measured in g/cm2), and so would present more matter to the passing radiation? Which material would have less? 4. 2 5. Is your Radiation Monitor sensitive to all three types of radiation? How can you tell? Devise a test and carry it out.

Explanation / Answer

1) Out of alpha, beta and gamma radiations, gamma radiations (consisting of photons) are most light partciles and hence they travel at highest speed and interact with the matter most strongly.

2) Alpha particles being most heavy out of the three, they interact least strongly as their speeds are very low.

3) On intermediate level, beta particles are there, whose charge and mass are in between of alpha and gamma.

4) Aluminum sheet will have more areal density than a paper sheet.

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