Science Core Science - Waves and Radiation Homework 2

Background Information

Radioactivity often raises unease and even fear in the general population. However it has many uses and can even be in our own homes. Listed below are some of those uses.

• Use of alpha particles from Americium 241 in smoke detectors.
• Use of gamma radiation in extending the shelf life of perishable foods.
• Use of gamma radiation from Technetium 99m as a tracer in medical diagnosis.
• Use of gamma or beta radiation in thickness gauges in industry.

What you have to do

Research each of these uses and produce a short summary of how they work. Word limit is 750 words.