Determine the penetrating power and the range in air of the three radioactive emissions (Plutonium 239 for alpha, Strontium 90 for beta and Cobalt 60 for gamma).
Aim To determine the penetrating power and the range in air of the three radioactive emissions (Plutonium 239 for alpha, Strontium 90 for beta and Cobalt 60 for gamma). Method 1 The apparatus were set up as in the diagram below to measure the range in air up to 50 cm for each source. Before the experiment took place the background radiation was measured as 80 counts in 5 minutes therefore 16 counts per minute. Experimental precautions were: The radioactive source is aligned with a ruler to the GM tube as accurately as possible so that the maximum radiation is measured A set square was used to measure the exact point at which the source and tube were placed The counter was reset each time so the counter read zero so this would reduce zero error in the experiment and the hold button was pressed to freeze the measurement Thirty seconds were left between the start of the count and the recording so the reading would be less instantaneous and more reliable Everything was kept constant for all three experiments and the counts were recorded at regular intervals of 5 cm. Safety precautions included removing the sources from a secure wooden box using thongs and tweezers and placed in plasticene, the set square was held using thongs and all those carrying out the experiment stood behind the source to minimise any direct radiation exposure. Method 2 The equipment was set up
What is the best way to keep hot water hot for the longest period of time
Introduction In this practical experiment, I am going to find out what is the best way to keep hot water hot for the longest period of time. The way that this can be achieved is by preventing, Radiation, Convection and Conduction. Planning I am going to apply my background knowledge to the experiment so that it is easier to choose which items I am going to use in the experiment. Here is my background knowledge. Background knowledge I already know that heat can be lost by conduction, convection and radiation. Therefore it would be in great interest to look into these in depth as then I can see how I can prevent these from occurring. The first way I am going to cover is conduction Conduction- Conduction is what occurs in many solids. The way it is mainly passed is through the solids' vibrations. This is how the solid will look as the vibrations are passed through it. Most non-metals are not good conductors and are good insulators as they do not vibrate as much so therefore the process of conduction is very slow. Convection- The convection of heat occurs in liquids and heat only. It is a much more effective process then conduction so I am going to concentrate on stopping convection more then stopping conduction. Convection is when heat from a hot region takes the heat and moves to a cooler region. Here is a picture of what happens in the convection
Rutherford's Alpha Particle Scattering Experiment:The discovery of the Nucleus...
Rutherford's Alpha Particle Scattering Experiment: The discovery of the Nucleus... Rutherford was the world leader in alpha-particle physics. In 1906, at McGill, he had been the first to detect slight deflections of alphas on passage through matter. In 1907, he became a professor at the University of Manchester, where he worked with Hans Geiger. This was just a year after Rutherford's old boss, J. J. Thomson, had written a paper on his plum pudding atomic model suggesting that the number of electrons in an atom was about the same as the atomic number. (Not long before, people had speculated that atoms might contain thousands of electrons. They were assuming that the electrons contributed a good fraction of the atom's mass.) Rutherford's alpha scattering experiments were the first experiments in which individual particles were systematically scattered and detected. This is now the standard operating procedure of particle physics. Rutherford's partner in the initial phase of this work was Hans Geiger, who later developed the Geiger counter to detect and count fast particles. The experiment was conducted, as is shown below. Alpha particles were fired from a source (from within a lead "shield") at a sheet of thin gold foil (which had been beaten to about 400 atoms thick. A fluorescent screen was placed behind / around the gold foil. Every time an Alpha particle hit the screen
What is Spectroscopy?
What is Spectroscopy? Spectroscopy is the study of energy levels in atoms or molecules, using absorbed or emitted electromagnetic radiation. There are many categories of spectroscopy eg. Atomic and infrared spectroscopy, which have numerous uses and are essential in the world of science. When investigating spectroscopy four parameters have to be considered; spectral range, spectral bandwidth, spectral sampling and signal-to-noise ratio, as they describe the capability of a spectrometer. In the world of spectroscopy there are many employment and educational opportunities as the interest in spectroscopy and related products is increasing. However Spectroscopy is not a recent development, as it has been utilized for many years since Isaac Newton made the first advances in 1666. Spectroscopy is the study of light as a function of wavelength that has been emitted, reflected or scattered from a solid, liquid, or gas. Fundamentals of Spectroscopy Spectroscopy is the distribution of electromagnetic energy as a function of wavelength. Spectrum is basically white light dispersed by a prism to produce a rainbow of colours; the rainbow is the spectrum of sunlight refracted through raindrops. All objects with temperatures above absolute zero emit electromagnetic radiation by virtue of their warmth alone; this radiation is emitted at increasingly shorter wavelengths as temperature is
'Is Nuclear Power the Solution to our Energy Problems?' Case Study
Is Nuclear Power the Solution to our Energy Problems? By Sean Hudson Contents Introduction 3 Background Information 4 How Cloning Benefits Society 5 How Cloning Endangers Society 7 Conclusion 9 Bibliography 10 Introduction The use of nuclear power is a controversial topic. Some support nuclear power believing that it offers the solution to our current energy problems. Others, however, believe that nuclear power is a dangerous form of energy as an accident can have severe consequences such as the Chernobyl disaster. In the following case study I will study and discuss the benefits and dangers of nuclear power, provide evidence through use of sources and finally end with a balanced conclusion summarising both the case study and my own opinions. This case study will be viewed by other year 11 students so in order to match my target audience I have used various presentational devices including a range of font types, pictures and diagrams. Background Information
Is nuclear power the future? Should we build more nuclear power stations in Britain?
Is nuclear power the future? Should we build more nuclear power stations in Britain? Dennis Wang Contents Introduction 2 What is nuclear power? 3 Advantages of nuclear power 4 Disadvantages of nuclear power 6 Conclusion 8 References 8 Introduction Nuclear Power is what more and more people believe to be the answer to the problem of where our energy should come from. Our main source of power, fossil fuel, is running out: all the oil in the world is likely to be have used up in only 43 years. The world is warming due to carbon emissions from burning fossil fuels. And the world's population is increasing all the time meaning more energy consumption. It means we need a different source of energy. Nuclear power is a clear option: it doesn't pollute the atmosphere with carbon dioxide, it uses uranium which is reasonably common and not about to run out and it is reliable and can work under any conditions (unlike wind or solar power). However there are disadvantages which cause nuclear power to be the subject of debate: it produces nuclear waste which needs to be disposed of, and the accident at Chernobyl showed the world what the dangers of nuclear power are. In this case study I will look at the pros and cons of nuclear power in detail and evaluate whether it is suitable to use as a new energy source for the future. What is Nuclear Power? Some atoms are
Dangers of mobile interference. Some airlines allow the use of mobile phones on aircraft, however as of 2011 most airlines do not.
Dangers of mobile interference Aeroplanes: Some airlines allow the use of mobile phones on aircraft, however as of 2011 most airlines do not. On airlines where the use of mobile phones is not allowed, it is thought they could adversely affect the navigational instruments in the cockpit and so such devices must be turned off while the aircraft is airborne. In the US, the use of mobile phones and similar devices has been banned by the United States' Federal Communications Commission. There is anecdotal evidence showing various degrees of correlation between use of mobile phones in flight and various instrument problems, and one study concluded that mobile phones used in the cabin could exceed the rated allowable interference levels for some avionics installed in some aircraft. On the other hand, links between device use and actual system failures have not been proven rigorously, nor have the reported incidents been reproduced in ground tests. Since the regulations were imposed by the various international bodies there have been advances in equipment and systems which have allowed the gradual introduction of safe in-flight communications via mobile phones and such devices. These systems are being implemented by an increasing number of airlines and carriers as each is tested by the authority responsible for air-safety and deemed to be fit for use. Hospitals: Mobile
"Risky Rainbow"
"Risky Rainbow" Ultraviolet Ultraviolet (UV) radiation is the least damaging type of dangerous radiation. The sun is the main natural source of UV. 99% of UV radiation emitted by the sun is absorbed in the Earths ozone layer. It is also invisible to the human eye. UV radiation comes with risks. As it is an ionizing type of radiation it can cause cell damage. As sun rays emit UV, it most commonly causes skin damage. This is when the UV rays damage skin cells, and sometimes even killing them. The damage caused by UV radiation usually only occurs on the surface of the body as it is not very penetrating. Most commonly, UV causes sunburn, and in more extreme cases, skin cancer. Eyes and the immune system can also be damaged by UV radiation. A positive effect of UV is that it brings about the production of vitamin D in the skin. It also has other medical uses, and is used in florescent lights. UVC rays are the highest energy, most dangerous type of ultraviolet light. Little attention has been given to UVC rays in the past since they are filtered out by the atmosphere. However, their use in equipment such as pond sterilization units may pose an exposure risk, if the lamp is switched on outside of its enclosed pond sterilization unit. X-Rays X-Rays are most frequently used for medical uses. They are more penetrating than UV, and so the rays can pass through more
What colour surface is best at absorbing infrared radiation?
What colour surface is best at absorbing infrared radiation? The aim of my experiment is to find out which colour absorbs the most infrared radiation. With these experiments I will test the hypothesis that the darker the surface of a material the more infrared radiation is absorbed. Infrared radiation, also called as "heat radiation" is an electromagnetic radiation that ranges from radio waves (an oscillation with frequency from 10kHertz) to gamma rays (an oscillation with frequency up to 1015GHertz) and includes visible, infrared and ultraviolet light. Electromagnetic radiation is a form of energy. Clamp Thermometer Coloured paper Light bulb Infrared radiation has frequency between 102GHertz and 4*105GHertz, thus it is just slower than visible light. Light waves with different colour have different frequency (infrared is the slowest while ultraviolet is the fastest). Each body with a temperature more than the absolute zero emits electromagnetic radiation. The higher the temperature of a body is the more electromagnetic radiation, thus the more energy, it emits. The emitted electromagnetic radiation contains the whole spectrum, however, the higher the temperature of a body is the radiation with the maximum intensity has the higher frequency. Thus, a light bulb with an appropriate temperature can serve as a source of a high amount of infrared radiation, thus heat
As part of my AS physics coursework I went on a trip to Queen Elizabeth Hospital. The purpose of this trip was to find out the physics involved in Hospital equipment, which is used on patients
Introduction As part of my AS physics coursework I went on a trip to Queen Elizabeth Hospital. The purpose of this trip was to find out the physics involved in Hospital equipment, which is used on patients. I learnt about three different areas where physics is involved. I learnt how physics is involved in Nuclear Medicine, Radiotherapy and Ultra Sound. I will discuss briefly about how physics is used in Nuclear Medicine and I will discuss in greater detail how physics is involved in Ultra Sound. Nuclear Medicine Nuclear physics involves looking at the nucleus of an atom. It involves injecting a highly radioactive material into the body and allowing it to decay. There are positives and negatives in this because nuclear medicine can be used for diagnosis, which can determine functions of an organ or can for simple therapy. On the other hand though radioactive materials are not good for you and so if diseased tissue comes in contact with you then it can cause problems. Using radioactive sources can kill of tumours though. It travels only shallowly into the body and can kill of all the cancerous cells. The unfortunate thing is that it can also kill of healthy tissue. What Is Ultra Sound? Ultra sound is sound with a frequency of over 20,000 Hz, which is a very high limit of human hearing. So therefore humans have a lower limit of hearing and so cannot hear ultrasound.
