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Radioactivity

Damage to Living Cells - External Radiation.

Radiation which has come from radioactive sources outside of the body
is called external radiation. All three types of radioactivity are harmful
and safety precautions must always be taken.

Of the three types of radioactivity,
a-particles are the least harmful form of external radiation.
a-particles cannot penetrate through the skin
and so will not cause damage to the internal organs of the body.
a-particles can cause skin cancer.

Both b-particles and g-rays will penetrate through all the tissues
in a body and can cause damage to any part of it.
b-particles are more ionising than g-rays
and will cause more damage for the same exposure and intensity.

People who work with radioactivity take special precautions
and wear a film badge.

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