Question
5 7 Workers in nuclear power stations are monitored to check the radiation they emit. A worker stands 1 cm away from a radiation detector. The amount of radiation the worker emits is recorded. Explain why the worker needs to stand close to the radiation detector.
Answer
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Yves
Veteran · Tutor for 9 years
Answer
Therefore, for accurate measurement, the worker in a nuclear power station needs to stand close to the radiation detector to allow maximum detection of any emitted radiation and to eliminate the potential influence of other radiation sources.
Explanation
When working in environments that have potential radiation sources such as a nuclear power station, it's crucial to ensure that workers get limited exposure. The radiation detectors are designed to detect and measure the level of radiation emission from an individual or an object.The worker needs to stand close to the radiation detector because radiation intensity follows an inverse square law. This concept means that the further away from the detector the worker stands, the lower the detector's ability to accurately measure the worker's radiation emissions due to the radiation's tendency to scatter and spread out. By standing only 1 cm away, we decrease the spreading effect and allow almost all radiation from the worker to be detected and accurately measured by the radiation detector.Also, standing close to the detector minimizes the influence of other possible radiation sources that could interfere with the measurement. Keeping the worker close ensures that the reading is indeed from the worker's exposure and not confused with background or scattered radiation from nearby sources.