Radiation

Front 1

1. What is radiation?

Back 1

It is a form of energy derived from unstable atoms. It can be produced synthetically as well.

Front 2

2. What are the two kinds of radiation?

Back 2

Ionizing radiation

Non ionizing radiation

Ionizing radiation is more powerful in its effects. It can knock electrons out of atoms. It can influence the atoms in living things, so health risks are a concern. It can damage tissue and DNA in genes.

Non ionizing- This is less energetic. This includes radio waves, microwaves and visible light.

Front 3

3. Radioactive atoms are naturally unstable. True/False

Back 3

True. In order to become stable, radioactive atoms emit particles and/or energy waves. This is called radioactive decay.

Front 4

4. What types of ionizing radiation are emitted during radioactive decay?

Back 4

Alpha, Beta particles and Gamma rays.

Other types such as X rays, can occur naturally or be produced synthetically.

Radiation is all. It can come from outer space or from the ground below us.

Front 5

5. Briefly describe alpha particles.

Back 5

Some unstable atoms emit alpha particles;

They are positively charged and made up of 2 protons and 2 neutrons from the atom's nucleus.

Front 6

6. Where do alpha particles come from?

Back 6

They come from the decay of the heaviest radioactive elements, such as uranium, radium and polonium. They are energetic, yet they are also so heavy that they use up their energy over short distances and are unable to travel very far from the atom.

Front 7

7. What determines the health effect of alpha particles on humans and animals?

Back 7

It depends greatly on how the person or animal is exposed. Alpha particles lack the energy to penetrate even the outer layer of the skin, so exposure to the outside of the body is not of great concern. Their effect on the inside of the body is radically different.

Front 8

8. How are alpha particles dangerous when the internal body is exposed to them?

Back 8

If alpha emitters are inhaled, swallowed or get into the body through a cut, the alpha particles can damage sensitive living tissue. This makes them more dangerous than other forms of radiation. They can potentially release all of their energy in a few cells. This can cause more severe damage to cells and DNA.

Front 9

9. Briefly describe beta particles.

Back 9

beta particles are small, fast moving, particles with a negative electrical charge that are emitted from an atom's nucleus during radioactive decay.

These particles are emitted by certain unstable atoms such as hydrogen-3 (tritium), carbon-14 and strontium -90.

Front 10

10. Are beta particles relatively penetrating?

Back 10

Beta particles are more penetrating than alpha particles, but are less damaging to living tissue and DNA because the ionizations they produce are more widely spaced. They travel farther in air than alpha particles, but can be stopped by a layer of clothing or by a thin layer of a substance such as aluminum.

Some Beta particles may penetrate skin and cause burns.

Beta particles, as with alpha particles are most dangerous when inhaled.

Front 11

11. Briefly describe Gamma rays.

Back 11

They are weightless packets of energy called photons. Gamma rays are pure, unlike alpha and beta particles which have both energy and mass.

Front 12

12. Are gamma rays like visible light?

Back 12

They are similar to visible light, but have a much higher energy potential. They are often emitted along with alpha andd beta particles during radioactive decay.

Front 13

13. Are Gamma rays dangerous for the body?

Back 13

Yes. They are a radiation hazard for the entire body. They easily penetrate barriers, such as skin and clothing. They have enough penetrating power to enter several inches of a dense material like lead or concrete. A few feet of concrete may stop them.

They can pass through the body, and easily damage tissues and DNA.

Front 14

14. Are X rays similar to Gamma rays?

Back 14

They are. X rays and Gamma rays have the same basic properties, but are derived from different parts of the atom.

X rays are emitted from processes outside the nucleus, but Gamma rays originate inside the nucleus.

Front 15

15. X rays are lower in energy than Gamma rays. True/False

Back 15

True. They are less penetrating than Gamma rays.

X rays can be produced naturally or artificially by machines using electricity.

CT and CAT scan use special X ray equipment to make detailed images of bones and soft tissue in the body.

Front 16

16. How can radiation damage living tissue?

Back 16

It can do this by changing cell structure and damaging DNA. The amount of damage depends upon the type of radiation, its energy and the total amount of radiation absorbed. Some cells are inherently more sensitive to radiation.

Front 17

17. What is the most important risk from radiation exposure?

Back 17

cancer. The higher the radiation dose, the greater the chance of developing cancer. These cancers can appear years later.

radiation can also cause genetic damage resulting in deletions to mutations.

Front 18

18. What is Radon?

Back 18

Radon is a colorless, odorless, tasteless radioactive gas that comes from the decay of radium, which is present in nearly all rocks and soils.

Most of the exposure of naturally occurring radiation is from indoor radon.

Front 19

19. What type of particles are emitted from radon?

Back 19

Its emits alpha particles, and inhaling it can cause cancerous changes.

It is estimated that radon causes an estimated 20,000 lung cancer deaths each year.

Front 20

20. How is Radon in the air measured?

Back 20

Radon in the air is measured in picocuries per liter (pCi/L. When radon levels reach 4pCi/L or higher, the EPA recommends that homeowners take action to reduce them.

Radon kits are available for testing.

Front 21

21. How can radon levels in a home be reduced?

Back 21

High radon levels in a home can be reduced in a variety of ways. The preferred method is called is called an active soil depressurization system, which is basically a vent pipe with a fan that vents radon, and other soil gases, from beneath the house.

Front 22

22. Radon is not the only source of naturally occurring radiation. True/False

Back 22

True. Some exposure to natural radiation comes from other elements in the Earth's crust, such as Thorium and potassium.

Another natural source is cosmic (space) radiation. Earth is constantly exposed to radiation created by processes occurring in the Sun, other stars and in outer space.

Exposure increases as one rises in elevation.

Front 23

23. Which man made energy source supplies the US with about 20% of its electricity?

Back 23

Nuclear power reactors.

Front 24

24. Briefly describe radioactive waste.

Back 24

Any activity that produces or uses radioactive material generates radioactive waste. Examples are nuclear power generation, defense weapon production, nuclear medicine, mining, oil and gas production and scientific research.

Depending on the material contained, this waste may remain active for periods raging from a few days to billions of years.