Radiation

The girls were blind to the true effects of radium; in fact, most everyone in that time period thought that all forms of radium were good for you. Back then, radium was like Aloe Vera today, it was used for a wide variety of causes, believed to improve overall health. People believed that radium could cure anything, from arthritis to high blood pressure- it was even once believed to be the absolute cure for cancer when ingested. Radium, found in uranium, is actually a rare chemical element of…

Colon cancer and rectal cancer is considered a disease developed in the tissues of the lower part of the gastrointestinal system. It typically starts in the inner lining of the large intestine as an uncontrolled growth of tissue called polyps. Together they are referred to as Colorectal Cancer. Colon cancer or bowl cancer originates in the terminal part of the large intestine whereas rectal cancer originates in the rectum which is the last portion of the large intestine to the anus. They are…

(MRI) exploits the magnetic properties of the nucleus. MRI exploits the process known as nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). In fact the technique used to be called simply NMR or NMR imaging, but the “nuclear” was dropped because of the connotation of radiation hazards from unstable nuclear sources, although there is no logical rationale for such fear. In NMR, a sample of material is placed in a strong magnetic field. The nuclei in the sample, each having a spin and therefore a magnetic moment,…

Samsung galaxy s7. We also use cell phones more than we are suppose to. We use them for calling, texting, selfies, social media, etc, but did you know cell phones give off waves as well? One may ask how do cell phones give off waves? What does radiation have to do with a cellular device? Here I’ll tell you. According to Environment, Health, and safety online, “A cell phone or cellular device operates with radio frequencies. Which is a form of electromagnetic energy that’s located on the…

Most individuals with even the most rudimentary knowledge of science have probably heard of x-rays and gamma radiation. Very few however, will be able to tell you where these forms of radiation come from. The answer: Pulsars. Pulsars, or neutron stars, are physics sandboxes that provide extreme conditions for humans to experiment with which are not readily available on Earth. Due to this usefulness, the discovery and research of these phenomena should be of the utmost importance. These neutron…

of protons. Radioactive decays also are a process which has an unstable atomic nucleus and which causes it to lose energy this because of radiation, for example there three main types of radioactive decay alpha, beta, and gamma particle. If a material has unstable nuclei it would be considered as radioactive. If an atom has emitted an alpha, or beta radiation it nucleus would change and become an nucleus of an different element. This would be because the number of protons in the nucleus would…

imagine that the orderly process of replacing damaged cells into new cells in your body stops? This is what happens with people who get cancer and if their treatment is not done fast, it can lead to death. Gamma knife therapy uses cobalt-60’s gamma radiation to destroy cancerous growth. In this paper, I will reflect on the research on cobalt-60 and its impact in the field of cancer, its impact on society and its pros and cons. “Cobalt was discovered in 1735 by a Swedish scientist named George…

The X-ray, also called the Röntgen ray, was invented by German scientist Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen in 1985. The x-ray is undisputedly important and is used todays at airports and sporting events to check for weapons and dangerous substances and at hospitals in order to check for fractured or broken bones, internal damage, or items lodged in the digestive system. Despite the x-ray’s numerous and various uses, it’s discovery was unintentional. Wilhelm Röntgen discovered the x-ray while…

The division of cancer cells is stopped by drugs that target the mechanisms of the cells which control cell division. But what other treatments are available other than the commonly known chemotherapy treatment? Other treatments include that of radiation therapy, surgery, immunotherapy, bone marrow transplant, targeted therapy, and hormone therapy. Depending on the severity and the type of cancer someone has contracted, the form of treatment in…

treatment, but doctors often use radiation as well. Radiation is a common treatment that doctors use for all types of cancer, and more than half of people diagnosed with cancer will end up going through radiation at some point (Mayo Clinic, 2014). Radiation is a therapy that is normally used after the surgical removal of the breast cancer to kill any leftover cancer cells. Radiation therapy uses high-energy rays to eliminate the cancer cells just like chemotherapy does. Radiation therapy may…