1. Dangers and Benefits of Nuclear Radiation
7.3

3. Dangers of Nuclear Radiation
Background radiation: sun, soil, water, plants-non harmful
Radiation can ionize atoms in living tissue, hemoglobin.
Outer skin protects you
Gamma rays=burns
Radon-alpha Rn-222 produced from Earth’s crust. Destroy lung tissue.

4. Dangers
Radiation sickness-danger of white blood cells, hair loss, sterility, bone necrosis, and cancer.
Genetic Mutations-DNA molecules are damaged. Birth defects.

5. Thermal Radiation

6. Beneficial Uses of Nuclear Radiation
Medicine, archeology, smoke alarms (alpha particles produce electric flow)
Cancer treatment- chemotherapy
Gamma rays-kill tumors
Radioactive tracers-short-lived isotopes drug paths, water flow, tumors.

7. Nuclear Power Nuclear reactors- fission of U-235
Wastes go underground, w/o ground water near.