irradiation and contamination Flashcards
why is ionising radiation dangerous?
it can damage cells and increase risk of cancer
what is irradiation?
exposing an object to nuclear radiation
irradiating something doesn’t make it radioactive
what are common ways of reducing effects of radiation?
keeping sources in lead-lined boxes
standing behind barriers
what is contamination?
when unwanted radioactive isotopes end up on other materials
hazardous as radioactive atoms decay and emit ionising radiation
what are common ways of reducing effects of contamination?
wearing gloves or wearing protective suits
level of hazard depends on type of radiation emitted
describe the hazard of each type of nuclear radiation?
alpha radiation
strongly ionising but easily stopped by dead cells on skin surface
beta radiation
moderately ionising and can penetrate body
gamma radiation
weakly ionising and can easily penetrate body
how can we use a radiation monitor?
use it to measure how much radiation has been received
if person has received too much radiation, we can stop them from working with radioactive isotopes
