Chicken Wing Posted February 13, 2018 Share Posted February 13, 2018 Hi All.If alpha radiation is released from a source, does it stick to surfaces or does it just disperse? I'm not talking about ingesting/inhaling the actual source rather the rays the source omits ^^^ hiya Kim Jong Un, hiya pal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Lambies Doos Posted February 13, 2018 Author Share Posted February 13, 2018 Yes, the alpha particles emitted by the Americium ionise the air which allows a small current to flow between two electrodes on the smoke detector. If smoke particles are present, they disrupt the current, trigger an alarm and the smoke detector tells you that your toast is cooked. Just think, you have in your house a man-made element that doesn't occur naturally on Earth. Science is great. So the actual alpha particles released from americium are completely safe and contain less radiation than background even if you only cm away? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helpma Posted February 13, 2018 Share Posted February 13, 2018 4 minutes ago, John Lambies Doos said: 1 hour ago, Helpma said: Yes, the alpha particles emitted by the Americium ionise the air which allows a small current to flow between two electrodes on the smoke detector. If smoke particles are present, they disrupt the current, trigger an alarm and the smoke detector tells you that your toast is cooked. Just think, you have in your house a man-made element that doesn't occur naturally on Earth. Science is great. So the actual alpha particles released from americium are completely safe and contain less radiation than background even if you only cm away? Yes. As someone said earlier, if you wanted to shield yourself from them, a piece of paper will stop alpha particles. Or put yourself a foot away from the source. The ionisation of the air happens because the gas molecules are colliding with the alpha particles and stopping them in their tracks. They're big and slow and easily stopped. A bit like me, really. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Lambies Doos Posted February 13, 2018 Author Share Posted February 13, 2018 Yes. As someone said earlier, if you wanted to shield yourself from them, a piece of paper will stop alpha particles. Or put yourself a foot away from the source. The ionisation of the air happens because the gas molecules are colliding with the alpha particles and stopping them in their tracks. They're big and slow and easily stopped. A bit like me, really. Last question; how can you be a foot away if you are actually unscrewing the detector? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coprolite Posted February 13, 2018 Share Posted February 13, 2018 6 minutes ago, John Lambies Doos said: 1 hour ago, Helpma said: Yes, the alpha particles emitted by the Americium ionise the air which allows a small current to flow between two electrodes on the smoke detector. If smoke particles are present, they disrupt the current, trigger an alarm and the smoke detector tells you that your toast is cooked. Just think, you have in your house a man-made element that doesn't occur naturally on Earth. Science is great. So the actual alpha particles released from americium are completely safe and contain less radiation than background even if you only cm away? the actual alpha particles are potentially very dangerous and can change the elemental composition of molecules they come into contact with, which can damage tissue and cause carconogenic mutations in DNA. The chances of them actually doing this are tiny. When you have huge numbers of them the chances of contact or damage increase. there are not huge numbers in domestic sources. The reason for the warning is economics not science. The cost of putting a warning on is negligible. The cost of defending litigation from someone who blames impotence/baldness/cancer on their smoke alarm is large. The chances of a judge not understanding science and awarding damages is not negligible. Don't eat it though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zen Archer (Raconteur) Posted February 13, 2018 Share Posted February 13, 2018 2 minutes ago, John Lambies Doos said: 14 minutes ago, Helpma said: Yes. As someone said earlier, if you wanted to shield yourself from them, a piece of paper will stop alpha particles. Or put yourself a foot away from the source. The ionisation of the air happens because the gas molecules are colliding with the alpha particles and stopping them in their tracks. They're big and slow and easily stopped. A bit like me, really. Last question; how can you be a foot away if you are actually unscrewing the detector? Use one of these. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pittsburgh phil Posted February 13, 2018 Share Posted February 13, 2018 I don a hazmat suit whenever I need to change the batteries or defrost something in the microwave. It's the only way to be sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sergeant Wilson Posted February 13, 2018 Share Posted February 13, 2018 Going by the state of his budgie, the smoke detector isn't working. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobby Skidmarks Posted February 13, 2018 Share Posted February 13, 2018 The goggles, they do nothing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tamthebam Posted February 13, 2018 Share Posted February 13, 2018 have your eyes started emitting alpha particles like this chap's because then you can see through solid objects, like the wall at Pacific Quay separating the outside world from the lady weather presenters' dressing rooms. Quite a handy power.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Lambies Doos Posted February 13, 2018 Author Share Posted February 13, 2018 Right.. battery changed. Gloves, Scarf and goggles (thanks bobby) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cerberus Posted February 13, 2018 Share Posted February 13, 2018 JLD earlier- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D.A.F.C Posted February 13, 2018 Share Posted February 13, 2018 Yes, the alpha particles emitted by the Americium ionise the air which allows a small current to flow between two electrodes on the smoke detector. If smoke particles are present, they disrupt the current, trigger an alarm and the smoke detector tells you that your toast is cooked. Just think, you have in your house a man-made element that doesn't occur naturally on Earth. Science is great. Lidl frozen pizza? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Lambies Doos Posted February 13, 2018 Author Share Posted February 13, 2018 Turns out these smoke detectors are quite safe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Venti Posted February 13, 2018 Share Posted February 13, 2018 JLD tomorrow: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BFTD Posted February 13, 2018 Share Posted February 13, 2018 2 minutes ago, John Lambies Doos said: Turns out these smoke detectors are quite safe. So you say. I've had the 'flu for more than a week, and I'm starting to think that forty years of incredibly low-level radiation may be to blame. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Lambies Doos Posted February 13, 2018 Author Share Posted February 13, 2018 So you say. I've had the 'flu for more than a week, and I'm starting to think that forty years of incredibly low-level radiation may be to blame. Or Aids Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BFTD Posted February 13, 2018 Share Posted February 13, 2018 3 minutes ago, John Lambies Doos said: Or Aids You need to be sexually active for that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Lambies Doos Posted February 13, 2018 Author Share Posted February 13, 2018 You need to be sexually active for that. Sorry for your troubles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stellaboz Posted February 13, 2018 Share Posted February 13, 2018 ^^^ hiya Kim Jong Un, hiya pal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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