Nuclear Radiation Research Paper
There are various types of radiation surrounding us. As human beings, we are primarily exposed to natural forms of radiation such as radon, cosmic (space) radiation, and naturally occurring radioactive elements found in the Earth. We are also exposed to man-made radiation including medical radiation. Nearly half of the radiation in which the US population is exposed to comes from medical sources such as CT scans, x-rays, and nuclear medicine.
In 1899, Ernest Rutherford discovered that the radiation emitted by uranium consisted of two kinds of rays: one with weak penetrating power, (alpha rays) and another with stronger penetrating power (beta rays). A third and even more penetrating kind of ionizing radiation (gamma ray) was discovered by the French physicist Paul Villard. Alpha rays have the least penetrating ability. They cannot permeate the outermost layer of the skin and can be stopped by a sheet of paper; furthermore alpha particles are not harmful to living things, unless the …show more content…
As mentioned earlier, X-rays, CAT scans, PET scans and radiation therapy are used in medicine to diagnose and treat certain cancers and illnesses. Radiation is almost always damaging to the cells and tissue within the body. Damage to specific cells has the potential to disturb the function of the any organism. This leads to certain health issues such as cancer, radiation sickness and even death. There are two types of effects of radiation on the human body: somatic and genetic. Somatic effects, also known as stochastic are physical, observable effects that come from large doses of radiation. Only the exposed individual is affected by somatic effects. Examples of genetic effects can be seen when radiation causes chromosome changes in reproductive cells. This occurs when mutations only affect the germ cell leading to genetic defects in future
In 1899, Ernest Rutherford discovered that the radiation emitted by uranium consisted of two kinds of rays: one with weak penetrating power, (alpha rays) and another with stronger penetrating power (beta rays). A third and even more penetrating kind of ionizing radiation (gamma ray) was discovered by the French physicist Paul Villard. Alpha rays have the least penetrating ability. They cannot permeate the outermost layer of the skin and can be stopped by a sheet of paper; furthermore alpha particles are not harmful to living things, unless the …show more content…
As mentioned earlier, X-rays, CAT scans, PET scans and radiation therapy are used in medicine to diagnose and treat certain cancers and illnesses. Radiation is almost always damaging to the cells and tissue within the body. Damage to specific cells has the potential to disturb the function of the any organism. This leads to certain health issues such as cancer, radiation sickness and even death. There are two types of effects of radiation on the human body: somatic and genetic. Somatic effects, also known as stochastic are physical, observable effects that come from large doses of radiation. Only the exposed individual is affected by somatic effects. Examples of genetic effects can be seen when radiation causes chromosome changes in reproductive cells. This occurs when mutations only affect the germ cell leading to genetic defects in future