Americium-241 is a radioactive isotope used in household smoke detectors. It decays by alpha decay. Which of the following describes the properties of this radiation?
Select all that apply.
made of 4 particles joined together (correct)
positively charged (correct)
high energy photons of light
unlikely to escape the smoke detector
To determine which of the options describe the properties of alpha radiation emitted by Americium-241, we will break down the possibilities one by one:
1. Made of 4 particles joined together: This statement is correct. Alpha particles are composed of two protons and two neutrons bound together, resulting in a helium nucleus.
2. Positively charged: This statement is also correct. Alpha particles have a positive charge of +2, given that they contain two protons.
3. High energy photons of light: This statement is not accurate. High energy photons of light are known as gamma rays, not alpha particles. Americium-241 decays through alpha decay, not gamma decay, so it does not emit high energy photons of light.
4. Unlikely to escape the smoke detector: This statement is true. Alpha particles, due to their relatively large size and positive charge, are not able to penetrate far within matter. Even a piece of paper can effectively block alpha radiation. Therefore, it is unlikely for alpha particles emitted from a smoke detector containing Americium-241 to escape.
Based on the analysis, the correct answers are the following:
- Made of 4 particles joined together
- Positively charged