The three main types of radiation include Alpha, Beta, and Gamma Radiation. Alpha Radiation is the most massive types of radiation. It is a particle ejected at a high speed from the nucleus of some, not all, radioactive atoms. An alpha particle is a combination of four particles, two protons and two neutrons, which have a charge of positive two. Due to their mass and electrical charge, alpha particles slow down extremely quick and do not penetrate very far. They can not penetrate the dead layer of skin t

The next set of information deals with the Biological Effects is the Cell Sensitivity to Radiation. The sensitivity of cells and tissues to radiation exposure is commonly proportional to the rate of cell division. One type of cancer treatment is the use of radiation because cancer cells are multiplying at such a high rate. Out of all the people in the world, children are more sensitive to radiation than adults. More information that deals with the Effects of Radiation on Live Cells is a part of Biological Effects of Radiation. Radiation causes ionization, which in time will cause physical and chemical effects to the atoms and cells. Radiation interaction can happen in any location of a cell such as the DNA or in the chromosome. Its effects may not show up for a couple of days or years after the exposure has occurred. The Damaged Cell Repair Mechanism informs us about how the cells may be damaged by many factors. These factors include life style, chemical exposure, and radiation exposure. Most cells are capable of repairing damage to the genetic material as long as it’s given enough time. In some cases, major damage night or can’t be repaired, which may result in death. The ability to repair damaged cells may depend on the type of chemicals produced by radiation in the cell surround itself.

Three important things must be kept in mind when dealing with radiation. The three things are Radiation Exposure, Absorbed Dose and Dose Equivalent. Radiation Exposure uses the unit Roentgen. Roentgen is defined by how gamma and x-rays interact in the air. It is defined as the quantity of gamma or x-rays, which interact with one kilogram of air. The Absorbed Dose is defined as the energy disclosed by the radiation per mass of absorbing material. The material includes all of the types of exposed materials. The absorbed dose is a quantity that refers to how much energy is deposited in a material by the radiation. The word, RAD, originated from the Radiation Absorbed Dose. The third and final thing is Dose Equivalent. The dose equivalent is obtained by modifying the absorbed dose according to the types of radiation. The dose equivalent is the product of the absorbed dose and the quality factor of a certain radiation. The quality factor is simply based on the type and of the energy of the radiation thus causing severe damage. Its is based on the density of ionization along with the path of the radiation. The quality factors for the different types of radiation are twenty for alpha, one for beta, gamma and x-ray, ten for neutrons and ten for high-energy protons.

The Database of Biological Effects of Radiation Exposure has two parts to it. First is the Natural Background Radiation Exposure. Energetic radiation from outer space and the sun are two Backgrounds to Radiation Exposure. Soil contains naturally radioactive material such as potassium, uranium, thorium and their progenies. Radon contributes the largest natural radiation exposure to humans. The food we eat, the water we drink and the air we breath contains radioactive material. Additionally, man made radiation sources such as medical x-rays and nuclear medicine contributes exposure to Americans. The second is a case of Natural Radioactivity in a Banana. According to the “Food Values of Portion Commonly Used”, “Bananas are a good source of potassium, a very important nutrient. All natural potassium contains 0.0117% potassium-40(40 k), which is radioactive potassium. A medium size banana is 0.0528 mg. This is equivalent to 14 drops or 0.00037 uCi. The dose equivalent, if a banana is eaten, is about 0.01mrem. Sometimes this is called the banana equivalent dose.”

The types of Radiation Interactions with Matter deal with alpha, beta, gamma and x-ray as well as neutron radiation. Before going into the types, one must understand what an interaction with matter means. First off, a significant characteristic of radiation is t

Some topics in this essay:
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