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Radioactivity

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Question 11

The table below shows the physical nature of alpha particles and beta-minus particles:

Radiation TypeNature
Alpha (α\alphaα)Helium nucleus
Beta-minus (β−\beta^-β−)High-speed electron

Explain, in terms of their physical properties and interactions with matter, why alpha particles have a much shorter range in air and lower penetrating power than beta-minus particles.

[6]

Radioactivity Questions

  1. IGCSE
  2. /Physics
  3. /Radioactivity