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Radiation


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1 hour ago, John Lambies Doos said:

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

 

Disperse eventually.

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34 minutes ago, Melanius Mullarkey said:

Nobody made the "fission for a bite" joke yet? 

 

18 minutes ago, Rugster said:

Zen must be busy at work  without internet access.

Let's not fallout over it. 

 

I'm truly sorry - just saving Zen a bit of typing.

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1 hour ago, John Lambies Doos said:

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

 

There's no such thing as "alpha rays". Alpha radiation is particles emitted from a large atom. Their structure specifically is two protons and two neutrons; a Helium nucleus. The likelihood therefore is that it'll end up forming a Helium atom eventually when it steals itself a couple of electrons.

IIRC most of the helium on Earth comes from alpha decay. Alpha particles themselves are not particularly dangerous unless the source is ingested; they struggle to penetrate paper never mind skin/clothes.

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11 minutes ago, David W said:

There's no such thing as "alpha rays". Alpha radiation is particles emitted from a large atom. Their structure specifically is two protons and two neutrons; a Helium nucleus. The likelihood therefore is that it'll end up forming a Helium atom eventually when it steals itself a couple of electrons.

IIRC most of the helium on Earth comes from alpha decay. Alpha particles themselves are not particularly dangerous unless the source is ingested; they struggle to penetrate paper never mind skin/clothes.

^^^Took the words right out my mouth.

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There's no such thing as "alpha rays". Alpha radiation is particles emitted from a large atom. Their structure specifically is two protons and two neutrons; a Helium nucleus. The likelihood therefore is that it'll end up forming a Helium atom eventually when it steals itself a couple of electrons.
IIRC most of the helium on Earth comes from alpha decay. Alpha particles themselves are not particularly dangerous unless the source is ingested; they struggle to penetrate paper never mind skin/clothes.
So how come a smoke alarm emits Alpha rays?
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27 minutes ago, John Lambies Doos said:
36 minutes ago, Salvo Montalbano said:
They don't, they emit alpha particles.

Ah OK. . And is this dangerous ie do they sit on surfaces?

They get absorbed by the air within a few centimetres and by the alarm structure itself. All you get is a tiny amount of helium in the air.

http://firewize.com/node/24

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1 hour ago, David W said:

There's no such thing as "alpha rays". Alpha radiation is particles emitted from a large atom. Their structure specifically is two protons and two neutrons; a Helium nucleus. The likelihood therefore is that it'll end up forming a Helium atom eventually when it steals itself a couple of electrons.

IIRC most of the helium on Earth comes from alpha decay. Alpha particles themselves are not particularly dangerous unless the source is ingested; they struggle to penetrate paper never mind skin/clothes.

Check oot Bertie Boffin, there.

Anyway, whats this all about?  Is JLD having a tin foil hat "the smoke alarm is out to get me" moment?

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