Question detail
What is the ionising power of alpha radiation compared to beta and gamma radiation?
Try the question, check the answer, then read the explanation to understand the curriculum point.
At a glance
MCQ
Type
practice
Style
Topic
Atoms and nuclear radiation
Question
- A. Alpha radiation is less ionising than beta radiation.
- B. Alpha radiation is more ionising than beta and gamma radiation.
- C. Alpha radiation has the same ionising power as gamma radiation.
- D. Alpha radiation is more ionising than beta but less than gamma.
Answer
The correct answer is B: Alpha radiation is more ionising than beta and gamma radiation..
Explanation
The correct answer is B: Alpha radiation is more ionising than beta and gamma radiation.. This supports the learning objective "Explain why alpha radiation is strongly ionising but weakly penetrating." in Radioactive decay and nuclear radiation because it uses the correct atomic and nuclear radiation relationship for Atoms and nuclear radiation. The other options are less suitable because they do not match the required Radioactive decay and nuclear radiation idea: Alpha radiation is less ionising than beta radiation.; Alpha radiation has the same ionising power as gamma radiation.; Alpha radiation is more ionising than beta but less than gamma..
Common mistake
Alpha Radiation Characteristics
Students often confuse the ionising power of alpha radiation with its penetrating ability, thinking that strong ionisation means it can penetrate materials well.
To fix this, remember that alpha radiation is strongly ionising due to its mass and charge, but it is weakly penetrating because it can be stopped by a sheet of paper or even the outer layer of human skin.
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