Radiation

[Chicken Wing]

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

[John Lambies Doos]

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?

[Helpma]

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.

[John Lambies Doos]

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?

[coprolite]

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.

[Zen Archer (Raconteur)]

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.

[pittsburgh phil]

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.

[Sergeant Wilson]

Going by the state of his budgie, the smoke detector isn't working.

[Bobby Skidmarks]

The goggles, they do nothing.

[tamthebam]

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..

[John Lambies Doos]

Right.. battery changed. Gloves, Scarf and goggles (thanks bobby)

 

[Cerberus]

JLD earlier-

 

 

[D.A.F.C]

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?

[John Lambies Doos]

Turns out these smoke detectors are quite safe.

[Venti]

JLD tomorrow:

[BFTD]

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.

[John Lambies Doos]

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

[BFTD]

3 minutes ago, John Lambies Doos said:

Or Aids

You need to be sexually active for that.

[John Lambies Doos]

You need to be sexually active for that.

Sorry for your troubles

[Stellaboz]

^^^ hiya Kim Jong Un, hiya pal