Diagnosis (medical tracers):
- Patient swallows/is injected with gamma-emitting isotope
- Gamma rays detected outside body to image organs
- Uses isotopes with SHORT half-life (hours) — technetium-99m
- Gamma used because it can escape the body
Treatment (radiotherapy):
- High-energy gamma rays kill cancer cells
- Beam rotated around patient — tumour gets maximum dose
- Also: radioactive implants placed directly in tumour
Sterilisation:
- Gamma rays kill bacteria on surgical equipment
- Can sterilise equipment still in packaging
This key facts covers Medical Uses — Summary within Uses & Hazards of Radiation for GCSE Physics. Revise Uses & Hazards of Radiation in Atomic Structure for GCSE Physics with 18 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 3 of 17 in this topic. Use this key facts to connect the idea to the wider topic before moving on to questions and flashcards.
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.
Quick recall flashcards
Most ionising?
Alpha
Beta stopped by?
Few mm aluminium