Nuclear Radiation

Gamma rays at a specific dosage are carefully directed at cancer cells without damaging too many normal cells, however a fair bit of damage is done to normal cells.

nuclear equations

background radiation

Uses and risk

Types

Risks

Radiation can enter living cells and ionise atoms and molecules within them

Lower dosage cause minor damage without killing the cells

This can rise to mutant cells which divide uncontrollably. This is known as cancer.

Higher doses kill cells completely which causes radiation sickness.

this causes vomiting, hairloss and tiredness

This leads to tissue damage

Uses

Gamma

Gamma sources are usually used in medical tracers

Certain radioactive isotopes can be injected into the body and their progress made around the body can be traced from an external detector

An example of this is iodine-123 which is absorbed by the thyroid gland and gives out radiation that can be detected to show weather the gland is taking iodine as it should

it is also used to treat cancer, known as radiotherapy

Gamma rays at a specific dosage are carefully directed at cancer cells without damaging too many normal cells, however a fair bit of damage is done to normal cells.

Beta

Beta rays can be used to treat cancers by putting radiating emitting implants next to or inside tumours