Radioactive Contamination
Key Stage 4
Meaning
Radioactive contamination is when a source of ionising radiation gets onto another material.
About Radioactive Contamination
- Radioactive contamination is extremely dangerous as it can cause objects which were not radioactive to become radioactive.
- Radioactive contamination is not visible to the eye and can only be detected with a Geiger counter.
- The chance of radioactive contamination can be reduced by:
- Wearing Safety Gloves - To reduce the chance of contamination of the skin.
- Using Tongs to handle the source - To keep a distance from the radioactive source reducing the chance of contamination.
References
AQA
- Contamination (radioactivity), page 122, GCSE Combined Science Trilogy; Physics, CGP, AQA
- Contamination (radioactivity), page 134, GCSE Physics; The Complete 9-1 Course for AQA, CGP, AQA
- Contamination (radioactivity), page 201, GCSE Combined Science; The Revision Guide, CGP, AQA
- Contamination (radioactivity), page 47, GCSE Physics; The Revision Guide, CGP, AQA
- Contamination by radioactive isotopes, page 351, GCSE Combined Science Trilogy 1, Hodder, AQA
- Contamination, radioactive, page 105, GCSE Physics, Hodder, AQA