P4g Uses of Radioisotopes
- Specification
- Lesson Plans
- Questions
- Resources
- Extras
Describe and recognise that there is background radiation in the environment which is always present.
State that radioisotopes are used as tracers in industry and hospitals.
Describe that alpha sources are used in some smoke detectors.
Describe background radiation and state that it is caused by radioactive substances in rocks and soil and by cosmic rays.
Recall examples of the use of tracers:
- to track dispersal of waste;
- to find leaks/blockages in underground pipes;
- to find the route of underground pipes.
Describe how a smoke detector with an alpha source works.
Recall that radioactivity can be used to date rocks.
Recall that measurements from radioactive carbon can be used to find the date of old materials.
Explain that some background radiation comes from waste products and man made sources eg waste from:
- industry;
- hospitals.
Describe how tracers are used in industry:
- radioactive material put into pipe;
- gamma source used so that it can penetrate to the surface;
- progress tracked with detector above ground;
- leak/blockage shown by reduction/no radioactivity after this point.
Explain how the radioactive dating of rocks depends on the calculation of the uranium/lead ratio.
Explain how measurements of the activity of radioactive carbon can lead to an approximate age for different materials:
- the amount of Carbon 14 in the air has not changed for thousands of years;
- when an object dies (eg wood) gaseous exchange with the air stops;
- as the Carbon 14 in the wood decays the activity of the sample decreases;
- the ratio of current activity from living matter to the activity of the sample leads to a reasonably accurate date.
Objectives:
stuff what is important goes hereContent 3Content 4Content 5Content 2
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Homework:
Homework1
Objectives:
Content 1
Prior Learning:
Difficult Concepts:
Outline:
Suggested Practicals:
Extension Activities:
Homework:
Homework2 again