![Radium 3 1 3 X 2 Radium 3 1 3 X 2](https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Mukul_Sharma8/publication/326809785/figure/tbl1/AS:698622463188992@1543575983039/Radium-in-Marcellus-Shale-bulk-rock-and-leachates-a.png)
Three types of radioation - Alpha, Beta, Gamma
There are three primary types of radiation: Batchoutput doc 2 5 103.
- Alpha - these are fast moving helium atoms. They have high energy, typically in the MeV range,but due to their large mass, they are stopped by just a few inches of air, or a piece of paper.
- Beta - these are fast moving electrons. They typically have energies in the range of afew hundred keV to several MeV. Since electrons are might lighter than helium atoms, they areable to penetrate further, through several feet of air, or several millimeters of plastic orless of very light metals.
- Gamma - these are photons, just like light, except of much higher energy, typically fromseveral keV to several MeV. X-Rays and gamma rays are really the same thing, the difference ishow they were produced. Depending on their energy, they can be stopped by a thin piece of aluminumfoil, or they can penetrate several inches of lead. In this experiment, we study the penetrating power of each type of radiation. For this test, weused an old radium coated watch hand, obtained from, where else, eBay.The radium is an alpha source, and we also get several beta and gamma emissions as well fromdaughter products. This hand is about 50 years old, so we should get a nice mixture ofradiations. This makes it an ideal source to use for these experiments.We first placed the radium watch hand about 1 cm from the face of a GM-45 detector. We obtained anaverage of 44307 CPM. A GM-10detector would also work, and costs about half as much.Next, we placed a single piece of paper in between the watch hand and detector. The rate dropped to 35111 CPM. The paper blocked all of the alpha rays.We then put a second piece of paper in between, the counts dropped to 31583 CPM. With a third piece of paper, 27977 CPM. Mountain duck 2 6 2. We are now blocking beta rays with our pieces of paper, each piece blocks some more of the radiation.With 3 mm of steel (1/8 inch), the reading went down to 394 CPM. Background is about 50 CPM, so at this pointwe're picking up some of the gammas from the source.
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Click here for more information about the GM-10 Nuclear Radiation Detector
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission, protecting people and the environment. One gram of radium-226 undergoes 3.7 × 10 10 disintegrations per second, a level of activity that defined the curie (Ci), an early unit of radioactivity. This is an energy release equivalent to about 6.8 × 10 −3 calorie per second, sufficient to raise the temperature of a well-insulated 25-gram sample of water at the rate of 1 °C every hour.
Radium is a radioactive element that is extremely dangerous when not handled appropriately. It was used in the production of several products including toothpaste and wristwatches and was thought to be curative until researchers discovered that intense radioactivity had adverse effects on health. It is the sixth element of the alkaline Earth metals with atomic number 88 and symbol Ra.
Radium is naturally found in uranium, thorium, and uraninite ores. The element was discovered by scientists Marie and Pierre Curie while studying the properties of Uranium ore in 1898. After eliminating uranium, the ore was equally radioactive, suggesting the presence of another radioactive element. After further studies, the researchers extracted one milligram of radium in 10 tons of ore, but three million times more dangerous than uranium.
Early Uses of Radium
Synthetic radium was produced in the United States before the adverse effects of radiation exposure were understood. The ability of the element to glow-in-the-dark and the belief that radioactivity was curative meant that the element was used circumstances it should not have been. Before 1936, food manufacturers produced chocolate bars, bread, and packaged water with radium as an additive. In the 1930s, toy companies used radium to illuminate toys that became popular by producing a weird glowing light in the dark. Dr. Alfred Curie (not related to the scientists) produced and sold toothpaste, body creams, and powders by duping consumers that radium strengthened teeth and prevents wrinkles. The success of Dr. Curie’s products prompted other doctors to create products with the element, including heating pads and suppositories to treat malaise, rheumatism, and body weakness. Medical researchers extended the use of radium to cure impotence in men and women by creating fertility drugs with the element to “stimulate” reproduction. From 1917 to 1926, the United States Radium Corporation used radium to produce wristwatches and clocks. Hundreds of “radium girls” were employed to paint watches and clocks with powdered radium that glowed at night.
Modern Uses of Radium
![Radium Radium](https://images.listonce.com.au/listings/12-radium-avenue-hepburn-springs-vic-3461/937/00905937_floorplan_01.gif?6WVL7G55GRA)
Radium 3 1 3 X 24
Towards the mid-20th century, physicists realized that radium had adverse effects on health and governments across the world banned the public use and handling of the compound. Today, researchers are conducting studies on the abilities of radium to treat certain forms of cancer and bone fractures. However, stable radioisotopes such as caesium-137 and cobalt-60 are replacing radium. The element is mostly used in controlled environments and for specific purposes such as x-ray imaging. It is mixed with beryllium to create a neutron source for nuclear reactors.