Nuclear Chem notes – “How does nuclear radiation affect living tissue

Alpha, beta, or gamma radiation damages DNA Alpha particles can’t penetrate your skin, but if you inhale them, effects can be severe This is why radon gas in homes can be so dangerous

Alpha can’t penetrate barriers very well – bigger particles Beta can penetrate barriers better Gamma can go right through a lot of barriers

When radiation hits molecules, it often creates “free radicals” Free radical – uncharged fragments of molecules A covalent bond is broken, so electrons are unpaired, and these free radicals are highly reactive

Radiation exposure causes radiation sickness = a group of sicknesses that cause nausea, white blood cell drop, rapid cell division, problems with cell reproduction Note: problems with cell division often means cancer

If cells survive high energy radiation, they will be mutated If cells survive high energy radiation, they will be mutated! Their DNA will be messed up! If mutations are in egg or sperm cells, children can have problems If mutations in somatic (rest of the body) cells, you have problems

How to protect ourselves from radiation? Have barriers that absorb it (think vest you put on at the dentist, or dental assistant stepping out of room during x-ray) Stay away from it And limit your exposure to it (nurses wear a Geiger counter– if radiation measurement is too high, they have to go home) ** Please consider getting a radon test kit from the Weber Co. Health Dept., or at least talking to your parents about it