Which type of radioactive source is suitable for use in a household smoke detector?
α\alphaα (alpha) emission with a short half-life
α\alphaα (alpha) emission with a long half-life
β\betaβ (beta) emission with a short half-life
β\betaβ (beta) emission with a long half-life
484 exam-style questions on CIE IGCSE Physics 5.2 Radioactivity, covering 5.2.1 Background radiation and measuring count rate, 5.2.2a Alpha, beta and gamma emission, 5.2.2b Deflection and ionising effects of nuclear radiation, 5.2.3a Radioactive decay, 5.2.3b Effects of decay on the nucleus and decay equations, 5.2.4a Half-life, 5.2.4b Choosing isotopes for applications, and 5.2.5 Effects of ionising radiation and safety precautions. Each one has a worked solution and a mark scheme showing where the marks go.