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Radiation

Understanding Radiation:  Becquerels and Sieverts

Understanding Radiation: Becquerels and Sieverts

We now know about radiation, half lives, and radiation types. Next, let’s take a look at the units used to talk about radiation levels. The units we hear most often in the news at the moment are becquerels and sieverts.

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Understanding Radiation:  Radiation types

Understanding Radiation: Radiation types

Previously we learned about isotopes, their decay, and what is meant by half life. Next we will look types of radiation. Strictly speaking, radiation includes lots of harmless things like radio waves and even light. But some types of radiation have enough energy to break

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Understanding Radiation: Half Life

Understanding Radiation: Half Life

In a previous installment we learned what isotopes are, and that the decay of radioisotopes is what produces radiation. Let’s continue with our carbon example. Remember that carbon, like many elements, has a number of isotopes with different numbers of neutrons.

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Understanding Radiation:  Atoms and Isotopes

Understanding Radiation: Atoms and Isotopes

Let’s start at the beginning, with atoms. We probably all have a rough idea of what an atom looks like. The center, or nucleus, is made up of pieces called protons and neutrons, and this is surrounded by a cloud of electrons. Protons have

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