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Radiation can be defined as the process of emission and propagation of energy in the form of waves, particles or rays. Radiation therapy is used to treat cancers and tumours but these treatments have long-term consequences. Radiation has a negative impact on not just humans but also the ecosystem. Heat waves or particle radiation, radio waves, gamma radiation, microwaves, infrared, visible light, ultraviolet, x-rays, and other types of radiation exist, depending on their nature and properties. Radiation has a dual nature: wave and particle.
| Table of Content |
Keyterms: Radiation, Energy, Waves, Rays, Ecosystem, Heat waves, particle radiation, radio waves, gamma radiation, microwaves, infrared, visible light, ultraviolet, x-rays
Types of Radiation
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Based on the energy of the radiated particles, radiation are divided into the following categories:
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Ionizing Radiation
Ionizing radiation is high-energy radiation that, when it interacts with matter, generates ions at the molecular level. In other words, it has the ability to remove firmly bound electrons from an atom's orbit, leading it to become charged or ionised.
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Non-ionizing Radiation
This is the name given to radiation that does not have enough energy to ionise. These types of radiation are incompatible with ionising radiation such as x-rays, gamma rays, and alpha particles, which are unstable and reactive at the other end of the spectrum. It has the ability to generate heat, which is how food is prepared in a microwave oven.
Also Read:
| Related Articles | ||
|---|---|---|
| Dual Nature of Radiation and Matter | Millikan's Oil Drop Experiment | Electron Emission |
Properties of Ionizing Radiation
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| Properties of Ionizing Radiation | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Type of Ionising Radiation | Alpha particles | Beta particles | Gamma rays |
| Nature | Positively charged particles | Negatively charged particles | Uncharged electromagnetic radiation |
| Charge | +2e | -e | 0 |
| Mass | 6.6466 x 10-27kg | 9.109 x 10-31 kg | 0 |
Types of Radiation Effects
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Effects faced by the human body due to radiation are classified into the following types:
- Threshold Effects: It happens when radiation levels are tens, hundreds, or thousands of times greater than the background, and it usually happens within a short period of time, like a few minutes.
- Non-threshold Effects: It can happen at any amount of exposure to radiation. The danger of severe health impacts from radiation, on the other hand, rises as the amount of radiation absorbed rises.
Effects of Radiation on Human Body
Radiation's negative effects force atoms to ionise, which affects human body molecules, which then affects cells, tissues, organs, and the entire body. The effect of radiation on body parts are:
- Hair: Higher exposure to radiations or to 200 rems causes faster hair loss in huge amounts.
- Brain: Exposure to more than 5000 rems affects the nerves and nerve cells leading to total damage of the brain.
- Blood System: When the radiation exposure is more than 100 rems, it affects the blood system as it leads to fall in lymphocyte count and causes sickness and flu.
- Heart: Radiation exposure of the human body between 1000 and 5000 rems leads to heart failure since blood vessels rupture.
- Reproductive Tract: Reproductive tract gets easily damaged with continuous exposure to radiation less than 200 rems.
- Thyroid: The presence of a high amount of radioactive iodine can damage the thyroid gland, however the potassium iodine intake can lower the effect of radiation.
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Sample Questions
Ques. Where does Radiation come from? (1 mark)
Ans: There are both natural and man-made sources of radiation present in our environment. However, radiation can also be produced artificially such as medical x-rays and microwaves for cooking.
Ques. What radiation consists of in the given types of radiations: (3 marks)
(a) Alpha (b) Beta (c) Gamma
Ans: a. Alpha: two protons and two neutrons
- Beta: electron from the nucleus
- Gamma: electromagnetic radiation
Ques. What is Acute Radiation Syndrome and how is it caused? (1 mark)
Ans: The high doses of radiation tend to kill cells , while low doses tend to change them or damage them . High dosages can kill so many cells that tissues and organs are harmed, resulting in a rapid whole-body reaction known as Acute Radiation Syndrome (ARS).
Ques. Does radiation cause genetic disorders? (1 mark)
Ans: Yes, radiation has genetic effects. Genetic Effects due to Mutation of the reproductive cells passed onto the offspring of the exposed individual ,also many chemical agents as well as biological agents (such as viruses) that cause mutations.
Ques. Does radiation have an effect on the gastrointestinal tract? (2 marks)
Ans: Yes, radiation can have an effect on the gastrointestinal tract when the victim is exposed to 200 rems or more. The radiation can damage the lining of the intestinal tract which makes a person feel nauseated, it can also cause blood vomiting and diarrhoea. As a result the cells will begin to get destroyed and divide in a rapid manner including blood cells, cells of hair and reproductive organs, having a negative effect on the surviving DNA and RNA cells.
Ques. What are the symptoms of radiation on a body? (3 marks)
Ans: The symptoms are:
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Diarrhoea
- Headache
- Fever
- Dizziness
- Disorientation
- Fatigue
- Hair loss
- Internal bleeding
- Low blood pressure
Ques. What are the side effects of radiation therapy? (4 marks)
Ans. Some of the side-effects are:
- Soreness of gum and mouth
- Swallowing problem
- Stiffening of the hair loss
- Tooth decay
- Lymphedema
- Radiation fibrosis
- Rectal bleeding
- Cramps during bowel movement
Ques. What are the types of radiation effects? (2 marks)
Ans. Types of radiation effects are:
- Threshold Effects: It happens when radiation levels are tens, hundreds, or thousands of times greater than the background, and it usually happens within a short period of time, like a few minutes.
- Non-threshold Effects: It can happen at any amount of exposure to radiation. The danger of severe health impacts from radiation, on the other hand, rises as the amount of radiation absorbed rises.
Ques. What are the types of radiation? (3 marks)
Ans. Types of radiation are:
- Ionizing Radiation: Ionizing radiation is high-energy radiation that, when it interacts with matter, generates ions at the molecular level. In other words, it has the ability to remove firmly bound electrons from an atom's orbit, leading it to become charged or ionised.
- Non-ionizing Radiation: This is the name given to radiation that does not have enough energy to ionise. These types of radiation are incompatible with ionising radiation such as x-rays, gamma rays, and alpha particles, which are unstable and reactive at the other end of the spectrum. It has the ability to generate heat, which is how food is prepared in a microwave oven.
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