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Using gamma radiation from Cobalt 60 is used to sterilise syringes: Gamma rays, emitted from cobalt-60, are similar in many ways to microwaves and X-rays. Gamma rays delivered during sterilization break chemical bonds by interacting with the electrons of atoms, which would kill anything made of atoms (which is everything). And although gamma rays are highly effective in killing micro-organisms, they leave no residues nor have sufficient energy to impart radioactivity. Also the gamma rays can …

…good source of alpha particles. If smoke particles enter the ionisation, the amount of counts per seconds will change, and this is picked up by a small Geiger-counter inside the smoke detector. This will automatically turn on the bell, and will signal to anyone that is near. The alpha particles will hit the smoke particles and ionise them. As smoke particles are a lot larger than air particles, so the amount of ionisation will increase.