Radioactivity

Radioactivity is the spontaneous emission of ionizing radiation as a

consequence of a nuclear reaction, or directly from the breakdown of an
unstable nucleus.

1896 -Discovery of atural radioactivity Antoine-Henri Becquerel(1852 –1908)

α, β, γ radioactivity in magnetic and electric field

 Electron was discovered by
Joseph John Thomson 1897.
(1856 – 1940)
α – decay 4
He
2

Alpha particle was discovered by

Ernest Rutherford 1899.
A A− 4
(1871–1937) Z X→ Y + 24 He
Z −2
238
U → 23490Th + 24He
92

Carl David Anderson discovery of the

(1905 –1991) positron in 1932. Nobel Prize in 1936

eutron was discovered by James Chadwick

(1891-1974) 1932. Nobel Prize in 1935
 β- decay e−
− 1
A
X→ A 0
Y + e +ν 0 n → 11 p + −10 e +ν
Z Z +1 −1

137
55 Cs → 137
56 Ba + 0
−1 e + ν

β + decay e+ (positron)
Energy + A A 0
Z X → Z −1 Y+ +1 e +ν
Energy + 1
1 p → 01n + +10 e +ν
Energy + 22
11 a → 1022 e + +10 e + ν
γ – decay
X* → X +γ
238
U* →
92
238
92 U +γ
 α-emitters and β-emitters do not pass enough through the body to be easily detected.
The γ rays can be used to image an internal organs or structures.

Radiation is used for

•diagnosis
• treating cancer (radiotherapy).
Radiotherapy
Radiotherapy uses the fact that ionising radiation damages cells
and high enough doses can kill them.

Types of radiotherapy
The radiotherapy administred can be of three different types :

Internal radiotherapy –where the radioisotope is
localised in the affected organ

External radiotherapy (teletherapy and X-ray
therapy) –where the radioactive source used is outside
the body

Brachytherapy where the radioactive source is temporarily
implanted in the body at the site to be irradiated.
 Radioactive tracers (radioisotopes) 1960

Nuclear medicine uses radioactive isotopes

(radioisotopes) to image the body.

Radioactive Half-Life
The half-life of an isotope is the average time taken for half of the
active nuclei to decay . After two half-lives, there will be one fourth
the original sample, after three half-lives one eight the original
sample, and so forth.
If several pictures are taken over a period of time it can also show how
quickly the isotope is absorbed.

These three images show the build up of a tracer in the kidneys over time.
We can tell that the left kidney is blocked, as the tracer hasn’t been able to
reach it. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7265608.stm