suppse you were given the three radioactive cookies, one is mixed with alpha particles, the second with beta, and the third with gamma. You are allowed to eat one, hold one, and place one in your pocket. Which cookie should be placed where so that you will receive least radiation? explain your answer.
can you help me guys?
BEST ANSWER for the one who could givne me the most convincing answer and the very informative one also.
2007-08-04 20:31:39 · 4 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Physics
I would suggest that you should eat the alpha cookie, place the beta cookie in your pocket and hold the gamma one.
The reason you'd want to eat teh alpha one is because alpha particles are helium nuclei that are being ejected via radioactive decay, they lose their speed quickly and can easily be stopped by a sheet or two of paper or skin. So they're the most harmless ones and can be eaten with little danger.
The reason you would want to put the beta one in your pocket is because beta particles are neutrons that are ejected by radioactive decay. I would suggest distancing yourself from it, but since you can't go ahead and put it in your pocket. Because beta particles can go through about 6 inches of solid wood before they're stopped, they should be avoided, but they're nowhere near as dangerous as gamma radiation.
The gamma cookie I would suggest holding in your hand because gamma rays are the most dangerous of the 3 types of radiation mentioned. Gamma rays are made by the splitting of atoms and are the highest frequency on the EM spectrum. Because they have the shortest wavelength they're the most energetic type of radiation and can penetrate the deepest. The best thing you could do would be to hold it in your hand away from your body. Gamma rays can only be stopped by heavy lead shielding, because they're even stronger than x-rays.
Those are my suggestions and reasons for what to do with the cookies.
2007-08-04 20:48:42 · answer #1 · answered by dkillinx 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You cannot mix gamma particles into a cookie. Gamma particles are high-energy photons, and photons always move at the speed of light. They cannot sit stationary in a cookie.
However, if you meant three cookies that each gave off alpha, beta, and gamma radiation, the gamma cookie would be the most dangerous, so you'd want to hold it at arm's length. The beta cookie is the next most dangerous, so you put it in your pocket. The least dangerous is the alpha cookie, so you can eat it without worrying.
2007-08-05 03:37:10 · answer #2 · answered by lithiumdeuteride 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Eat the one mixed with gamma rays, hold the one (assuming in your hand) mixed with beta rays and put the one mixed with alpha rays in your pocket.
The reason is that gamma rays 'harm' only living beings and would thus sterilise the cookie. Alpha and beta rays can induce artificial radioactivity in non-living things.
2007-08-05 03:39:35 · answer #3 · answered by ag_iitkgp 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
You said i was allowed to. i dont have to. im just leaving them there!
EDIT: lol i dont really excpect to get best answer considering the second persons answer. But you have to admit, my solution works better :D
2007-08-05 03:35:11 · answer #4 · answered by Maxy_Paxy 3 · 1⤊ 2⤋