Explain radioactivity and its problems and applications, Physics

Assignment Help:

Explain Radioactivity and its Problems and Applications?

All radiation, electromagnetic as well as the kind from nuclear decay, takes its toll on living organisms. If the radiation has enough energy it can disrupt the functioning of living cells. This is particularly harmful if the radiation damages the nucleic acid molecules which make up your genetic information. 

We are constantly being exposed to radiation from natural sources. Rocks contain radioactive elements, we are being bombarded by cosmic rays from space and our food and water contain radioactive particles. Additional amounts of radiation come from man-made sources such as testing from nuclear weapons, medical x-rays and nuclear power plants. 

All three types of radiation come in a variety of different energies, but we can make generalizations.  Alpha particles are the least penetrating (they can be blocked by a t-shirt) but because of their large mass, they are the most harmful if they actually get into your system.  Gamma rays are the most penetrating and require several centimeters of lead to stop them.  Beta particles are somewhere in between.  They can be stopped by aluminum foil.    

Using Radioactive Nuclides:

Radioactive elements are easily found because they emit radiation. They can be used as tracers to show what is happening in plants and animals.  A radioactive isotope of a molecule can be substituted for the regular atom used by a specific organ in your body. Doctors can follow the path of that tracer by detecting the movement as it wanders through your body. Areas of high or low radioactivity signal a problem area.

 Radioactive isotopes can also be used to target cancer cells.  If you have a thyroid cancer doctors will often prescribe iodine-131.The iodine accumulates in the gland and the radiation destroys the cancer cells. For other types of cancer, external sources of radiation bombard the cancerous cells to destroy them

Some naturally occurring nuclides can be used in archeological and geological dating. We already mentioned these applications in the section entitled Radioactive Dating.    


Related Discussions:- Explain radioactivity and its problems and applications

Damped simple harmonic motion, Damped Simple Harmonic Motion Adding a d...

Damped Simple Harmonic Motion Adding a damping force proportional to x to the equation of easy harmonic motion, the first derivative of x along with respect to time, the equati

Define force, Force: push or pull upon an object resulting from the object...

Force: push or pull upon an object resulting from the object's dealings with another object. Whenever there is an interaction among two objects, there is a force upon every of

Determine the concentration of the sugar solution, The plane of polarizatio...

The plane of polarization of a plane polarized light is rotated through an angle of 200 while passing through 20 cm in a sugar solution having rotation about 45 0 cm 2 /gm. Determ

Simple harmonic motion, show that the oscillation of a liquid in a u-tube i...

show that the oscillation of a liquid in a u-tube is in simple harmonic motion

Population inversion, population inversion The process in which the ...

population inversion The process in which the number of electrons (N 2 ) in a higher energy state called ‘metastable state of an active medium is increased to a value greate

Event horizon, Event horizon: The radius which a spherical mass has to...

Event horizon: The radius which a spherical mass has to be compressed to transform it in a black hole, or the radius at which space and time switch responsibilities. Once insi

.., functions of the time base on the C.R.O

functions of the time base on the C.R.O

Lenard atomic model, LENARD ATOMIC MODEL : Lenard  suggested that the at...

LENARD ATOMIC MODEL : Lenard  suggested that the atom must have a lot of empty  in it. Lenard's model of an atom could not explain about the stability and mass of an atom .

Working of compound microscope, Working of Compound Microscope: The obj...

Working of Compound Microscope: The object under examination is placed in front of the objective. The objective forms it's real and inverted image with in the focal length of t

Half-life simulation, Aim : To obtain the half-life of two radioisotopes by...

Aim : To obtain the half-life of two radioisotopes by graphical means, using data from a simulated experiment. Theory :  Half-life( t ½ ) is the time it takes any particular ma

Write Your Message!

Captcha
Free Assignment Quote

Assured A++ Grade

Get guaranteed satisfaction & time on delivery in every assignment order you paid with us! We ensure premium quality solution document along with free turntin report!

All rights reserved! Copyrights ©2019-2020 ExpertsMind IT Educational Pvt Ltd