This definitions covers Key Definitions within Uses & Hazards of Radiation for GCSE Physics. Revise Uses & Hazards of Radiation in Atomic Structure for GCSE Physics with 17 exam-style questions and 5 flashcards. This topic appears regularly enough that it should still be part of a steady revision cycle. It is section 10 of 16 in this topic. Make sure you can use the exact wording confidently, because definition marks are often lost through vague language.
📖 Key Definitions
Irradiation: Exposure to ionising radiation from an external source. The body is not itself made radioactive.
Contamination: The deposition of radioactive material onto or into the body. The material continues to irradiate the body from within or from the skin.
Medical tracer: A gamma-emitting radioisotope administered to a patient to allow imaging of organ function from outside the body.
Radiotherapy: The use of high-energy radiation (usually gamma) to kill cancer cells inside the body.
Practice questions for Uses & Hazards of Radiation
Which type of radiation is used in smoke detectors?
Explain how a smoke detector uses an alpha source to detect smoke.