Explain why a smoke alarm works by emitting and detecting alpha radiation instead of gamma or beta radiation.
Alpha radiation isn't very penetrating and so is absorbed and stopped by smoke particles. This causes a change in count rate when there is smoke present. This change in count rate allows the alarm to be triggered.Beta and gamma radiation aren't stopped by smoke particles and so there would be no change of count rate when smoke is present.
FM
Related Physics GCSE answers
All answers ▸A bomb of mass 34kg, at rest is detonated. The explosion splits the bomb into two pieces, one of mass 13kg, which is thrown to the left at a velocity of 28 m/s. What is the velocity of the second piece?
Two beakers contain water at room temperature. One contains 200ml, the other 400ml. If both beakers are heated above identical Bunsen burners, which of the two will take longer to boil?
Which renewable energy methods are the best?
Two identical objects have a charge of magnitude q. If r is the distance bethween them, what should their mass be so that the objects are balanced.