BIOL354 Lecture 6: Biol 354 Week 3 p28
5 Jun 2020
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Beta particles: charged high speed particle -ve charge electrons/+ve charge positrons, ejected during radioactive decay process, travel further than particles can penetrate tissue. Less dangerous internally but can still cause damage: not typically energetic, may be stopped by thin sheets of plastic. Gamma rays: electromagnetic waves or photons emitted from the nucleus of the atom, has shorter wavelength & higher energy than x-rays, high penetrating can pass right through an organism. Whole body exposure internal & external. Units of radioactivity: concentrations of radioactive contaminants expressed on an activity basis, original and still widely used unit of radioactivity is the curie (c) 2. 2 x 106 disintegrations per min. Correct si unit is the becquerel (bq) which is 1 disintegration per second (dps) 1 c = 3. 7 x 1010 bq. Curies are large units usually deal with microcuries or millicuries and becquerels are small, often deal with megabequerels (mbq) or gigabequerels (gbq)
