Search results
- Internal exposure to ionizing radiation occurs when a radionuclide is inhaled, ingested or otherwise enters into the bloodstream (for example, by injection or through wounds). Internal exposure stops when the radionuclide is eliminated from the body, either spontaneously (such as through excreta) or as a result of a treatment.
www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/ionizing-radiation-and-health-effects
People also ask
How does radiation affect the body?
What is a radioactive atom?
Why are some atoms radioactive?
What is the difference between radioactive decay and radiation?
What is radioactive decay?
How does alpha radiation affect a human body?
beta and gamma radiation can penetrate the skin and cause damage to cells inside the body; alpha radiation will damage cells if the radioactive source has been breathed in as a gas or dust...
- Physical Forms of Radiation
- Radioactive Decay
- Nuclear Fission
- Ionizing Radiation
- Alpha Particles
- Beta Particles
- Gamma Rays and X-Rays
- Neutrons
As previously indicated, matter gives off energy (radiation) in two basic physical forms. One form of radiation is pure energy with no weight. This form of radiation — known as electromagnetic radiation — is like vibrating or pulsating rays or "waves" of electrical and magnetic energy. Familiar types of electromagnetic radiation include sunlight (c...
As previously indicated, large unstable atoms become more stable by emitting radiation to get rid of excess atomic energy (radioactivity). This radiation can be emitted in the form of positively charged alpha particles, negatively charged beta particles, gamma rays, or x-rays, as explained below. Through this process — called radioactive decay — ra...
In some elements, the nucleus can split as a result of absorbing an additional neutron, through a process called nuclear fission. Such elements are called fissile materials. One particularly notable fissile material is uranium-235. This is the isotope that is used as fuel in commercial nuclear power plants. When a nucleus fissions, it causes three ...
Radiation can be either ionizingor non-ionizing, depending on how it affects matter. Non-ionizing radiation includes visible light, heat, radar, microwaves, and radio waves. This type of radiation deposits energy in the materials through which it passes, but it does not have sufficient energy to break molecular bonds or remove electrons from atoms....
Alpha particlesare charged particles, which are emitted from naturally occurring materials (such as uranium, thorium, and radium) and man-made elements (such as plutonium and americium). These alpha emitters are primarily used (in very small amounts) in items such as smoke detectors. In general, alpha particles have a very limited ability to penetr...
Beta particles, which are similiar to electrons, are emitted from naturally occurring materials (such as strontium-90). Such beta emitters are used in medical applications, such as treating eye disease. In general, beta particles are lighter than alpha particles, and they generally have a greater ability to penetrate other materials. As a result, t...
Gamma rays and x-raysconsist of high-energy waves that can travel great distances at the speed of light and generally have a great ability to penetrate other materials. For that reason, gamma rays (such as from cobalt-60) are often used in medical applications to treat cancer and sterilize medical instruments. Similarly, x-rays are typically used t...
Neutrons are high-speed nuclear particles that have an exceptional ability to penetrate other materials. Of the five types of ionizing radiation discussed here, neutrons are the only one that can make objects radioactive. This process, called neutron activation, produces many of the radioactive sources that are used in medical, academic, and indust...
Jul 27, 2023 · Ionizing radiation is a type of energy released by atoms that travels in the form of electromagnetic waves (gamma or X-rays) or particles (neutrons, beta or alpha). The spontaneous disintegration of atoms is called radioactivity, and the excess energy emitted is a form of ionizing radiation.
Sep 27, 2021 · Radiation encompasses many processes — all of which look different to us. Fundamentally, it's when an object, like the sun, emits energy through particles or waves.
- Jacklin Kwan
Oct 4, 2024 · The distribution of radiation throughout the body, whether in a target organ or more systemically (e.g., circulating blood), can harm the human body through genetic alterations, tissue and organ damage, or by disrupting normal bodily functions.
Understanding the basic concepts in radiation physics, chemistry, and biology is important to the evaluation and interpretation of radiation-induced adverse health effects and to the derivation of radiation protection principles.
Feb 22, 2024 · Radioactivity is the spontaneous release of energy from an unstable atom. Radioactive material is a solid, liquid, or gas that gives off radiation. Radiation is the energy that comes out of a radioactive atom. Radioactive isotopes, also known as radionuclides, are radioactive atoms of the same element that have different numbers of neutrons.
