13.4-5 25/9/24 UV, X-rays and Gamma Rays + uses of X-rays in Medicine Flashcards
which has the highest frequency:
visible light, infrared or UV ?
UV
what are the uses of UV?
UV can be used for security, eg:
* bank notes having UV markings
* using pens to put invisible security marks on items that will show up under UV light.
what are the dangers of UV ?
(2)
dangers include:
1. sunburn
* leads to premature aging of the skin
* increases chance of getting skin cancer
2. eye damage –> even blindness
do x-rays of gamma rays have a longer wavelength?
x-rays = longer wavelength, lower frequency than gamma,
but
they are both higher frequency, short wavelength EM waves.
what is the main use of x-rays?
medical imaging
what are the uses of gamma rays?
gamma rays have two main uses:
1. killing harmful bacteria on food or surgical equipment
2. cancer treatment
what is ionisation?
ionisation is when an atom loses an electron?
give one cause of ionisation
X-rays or gamma rays passing through a substance
how can ionisation affect living cells?
if ionisation happens to living cells, it can damage cells and potentially cause cancer
do X-rays or UV waves have a longer wavelength?
UV has a longer wavelength
how does an X-ray work?
(simple terms)
X-rays work either by having a film or detector that changes when X-rays hit it.
what parts of the body block X-rays?
X-rays can be blocked by:
* bones
* teeth
* metal inside the body
how do we X-ray soft tissure organs?
we can X-ray soft tissue organs by filling them with a contrast medium, which absorbs X-rays.
Imagine you want to X-ray one body part, but don’t want the X-rays to hit a nearby body part. How could you prevent this?
we can use lead plates to cover body parts which we don’t want to receive an X-ray dose.
what is meant by the term ‘radiation dose’ ?
a radiation dose is a measure of the damage done to a person’s body by ionising radiation.
