Medical syringes can be sterilised by exposing them to gamma rays, which is a process of irradiation.
In contrast, if a liquid radioactive isotope is accidentally spilled onto a worker's lab coat, this results in radioactive contamination.
State two differences between irradiation and radioactive contamination.
94 exam-style questions on Edexcel GCSE Physics 6.5 Uses and dangers of radioactivity, covering 6.5.1 Uses of radioactivity, 6.5.2 Dangers of ionising radiation and precautions, 6.5.3 Half-life and radiation dangers, 6.5.4 Safety precautions for radiation exposure, and 6.5.5 Contamination and irradiation. Each one has a worked solution and a mark scheme showing where the marks go.