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Why are only gamma rays used to sterilise equipment and not alpha?
Wiki User
∙ 10y ago
Because gamma rays have the most electromagnetic energy.
Wiki User
∙ 10y ago
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When one neptunium isotope undergoes an alpha decay what does it become?
Npn decays to Pan-4 and alpha. Only isotopes 234, 235, and 237 of neptunium can undergo alpha decay, the others decay by beta-, beta+, K capture, and/or gamma decay. So the only products of neptunium alpha decay can be protactinium isotopes 230, 231, or 233.
Radioactive decay is the most dangerous?
There are three types: Beta decay, alpha decay, and gamma decay/gamma rays. They are all dangerous if exposed to a high amount of radioactive matter. When the radioactive isotope undergoes beta, alpha, and gamma decay, there is an emission of a beta particle, alpha particle, and gamma ray (respectively). In highly radioactive matter, there are often trillions of radioactive isotopes that emit these particles and/or rays - and they are very high-energy once emitted. However, they are only dangerous when exposed to a high amount.
Which nuclear decay emission only consists of energy?
Gamma decay is primarily "energy only", in that it is the emanation of photons that represent energy. However, and this is important to understand, gamma does not exist by itself - gamma is a secondary reaction to a primary reaction that involves a change to the nucleus - a change that is usually represented by alpha or beta decay.So, with the exception of the few metastable forms of radionuclides, gamma still, ultimately, is preceded by particle emission. (Even in the metastable forms, the gamma is preceded by particle emission - its just that the event is delayed enough to "count it" as a separate event.)
What kind of electromagnetic radiation arises only from nuclear excitations?
Gamma Rays
What is the nuclear equation for the alpha decay of uranium 239?
Uranium-239 does NOT decay by alpha decay, it decays only by beta and gammadecay.
What radiation type has the greatest ability to penetrate human tissue?
Gamma radiation. Alpha radiation is the least penetrating, beta radiation penetrates and lasts longer than alpha but also "dies out" relatively quickly, but Gamma radiation will not only penetrate deep, but it will also stay long.
Differences between the four main types of nuclear radiation alpha particles beta particles gamma rays and neutron emission?
There are only three types of nuclear radiation - Alpha, Beta & Gamma.
What is alpha beta gama?
they are the 3 types of radiation: alpha is the weakest and can be stopped by paper,beta is the medium strength and can be stopped by aluminum and gamma is the strongest and can only be stopped by several millimeters of lead gamma is the only radiation that is able to pass through anti radiation suits altha beta anf gamma are also the first 3 letters of the greek alphabet
Is gamma not considered a type of radiation ray?
Actually, gamma is the ONLY type of radiation ray. Since the three types of radiation are alpha particles, beta particles, and gamma rays, and the other two are particles, technically, gamma rays are the only radiation rays. If that is not what you are looking for, then I recommend rephrasing your question.
What is the greek letter for Alpha?
Σ (capital) σ ς ( the third is only put when s is used at the end of a word)
What type of radiation has the least ability to penetrate matter?
The Least penetrating form of radiation is Alpha as it only travels 10cm in air and is stopped by paper. Alpha is also the most ionising, Beta is less ionising still and Gamma is the least ionising as photons carry no charge so they have less effect.
Which of these types of radioactive decay does not produce an atom of a different element?
All forms of radioactive decay have emissions. Some, however, do not emit alpha, positive or negative beta, or gamma particles, and do not emit protons or neutrons either. In these, which include electron capture and double electron capture, neutrinos are emitted, but these are still considered particles.
Which is worse Alpha particles or x ray particles?
That depends on how one is exposed. So the is no one answer to this question. Gamma is usually more harmful as it is highly penetrating and difficult to shield against, whereas Alpha cannot penetrate a single sheet of paper. However internal Alpha radiation can be far more harmful than an equivalent Gamma dose as the radiation deposits its energy entirely in a very small space around the source. Internal radiation occurs when a source is inhaled or ingested.
Do allpha beta and gamma rays come from same element?
They can do, it depends on what element. For example Alpha Decay only happens with intermediate elements.
How is the atomic number changed by gamma decay?
There is no change in atomic number with the emission of gamma radiation. Unlike alpha or beta radiation, it does not have any kind of particles. It's emission results only when an excited nuclei goes to an unexcited state by emitting these.
Is alpha beta and gamma names given to different kinds of radiation?
Yes. Alpha particles are helium nuclei. Beta particles are electrons. Gamma rays consist of high frequency electromagnetic radiation. Modern physics has shown that electromagnetic radiation(EMR), including gamma, do not have a wave nature only, but also a particulate nature. Einstein said that EMR are made of photons.
How gamma are members of the exponential family prove?
Think you've got this backwards. The exponential probability distribution is a gamma probability distribution only when the first parameter, k is set to 1. Consistent with the link below, if random variable X is distributed gamma(k,theta), then for gamma(1, theta), the random variable is distributed exponentially. The gamma function in the denominator is equal to 1 when k=1. The denominator will reduce to theta when k = 1. The first term will be X0 = 1. using t to represent theta, we have f(x,t) = 1/t*exp(-x/t) or we can substitute L = 1/t, and write an equivalent function: f(x;L) = L*exp(-L*x) for x > 0 See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gamma_distribution [edit] To the untrained eye the question might seem backwards after a quick google search, yet qouting wikipedia lacks deeper insight in to the question: What the question is referring to is a class of functions that factor into the following form: f(y;theta) = s(y)t(theta)exp[a(y)b(theta)] = exp[a(y)b(theta) + c(theta) + d(y)] where a(y), d(y) are functions only reliant on y and where b(theta) and c(theta) are answers only reliant on theta, an unkown parameter. if a(y) = y, the distribution is said to be in "canonical form" and b(theta) is often called the "natural parameter" So taking the gamma density function, where alpha is a known shape parameter and the parameter of interest is beta, the scale parameter. The density function follows as: f(y;beta) = {(beta^alpha)*[y^(alpha - 1)]*exp[-y*beta]}/gamma(alpha) where gamma(alpha) is defined as (alpha - 1)! Hence the gamma-density can be factored as follows: f(y;beta) = {(beta^alpha)*[y^(alpha - 1)]*exp[-y*beta]}/gamma(alpha) =exp[alpha*log(beta) + (alpha-1)*log(y) - y*beta - log[gamma(alpha)] from the above expression, the canonical form follows if: a(y) = y b(theta) = -beta c(theta) = alpha*log(beta) d(y) = (alpha - 1)*log(y) - log[gamma(alpha)] which is sufficient to prove that gamma distributions are part of the exponential family.
