Edexcel IGCSE Physics · Spec 7.4
Half-Life, Uses & Dangers
What half-life means, and the uses and dangers of radioactivity.
Physics revision video
Half-Life, Uses & Dangers
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Spec 7.4
What you need to know
- Define half-life
- Read a decay curve
- Give uses and dangers of radioactivity
Active recall
Quick check
Answer each question before opening the answer.
Define half-life.
The time taken for half the radioactive nuclei in a sample to decay (or for the activity to halve).
Give one use and one danger of radioactivity.
Use — e.g. medical tracers, treating cancer, smoke detectors; danger — it can damage or kill cells and cause cancer.
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