GCSE SCIENCE PHYSICS HIGH SCHOOL - Radioactivity - Damage to Living Cells - Internal Radiation - Danger - Radon

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Damage to Living Cells - Internal Radiation.

Radiation which has come from radioactive sources inside of the body
is called internal 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 most harmful form of internal radiation.
a-particles cannot penetrat e through body tissue and so
will be absorbed and cause damage to the internal organs of
the body which are near to the radioactive source.

Sometimes granite rock contains radium-224
which decays to form the gas radon-220.
Radon-220 is an a-emitter and can be present in some buildings
which have been built on granite. People in the buildings will
breath in radioactive radon-220 which emits a-particles within their lungs.
This increases their risk of getting lung cancer.

Both b-particles and g-rays will penetrate through all body tissue
and are less likely to cause damage than a-particles.
b-particles are more ionising than g-rays and will cause more damage
for the same exposure and intensity. g-emitters with a short half-life
are the most suitable for use as medical tracers.

Headings Radioactivity Search Questions

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