Dangers

• Ionising radiation like alpha, beta and gamma can damage cells and tissues.
• Beta and gamma can penetrate the skin and tissues to reach the organs inside our body. This makes them more hazardous than alpha.
• What happens if beta and gamma get inside?

  By swallowing or breathing. Their radiation mostly passes straight out without doing much damage.
• Alpha sources do all their damage in a very localised area.
• When radiation enters your body, it will collide with molecules in your cells. These collision will cause ionisation, which damages or destroys the molecules.
• To what extent does the harmful effects of radiation have?

  It depends on how much exposure you have to the radiation, and it's energy and penetration.
• Lower doses of radiation tends to cause minor damage without killing the cell. It can cause mutations in cells which divide uncontrollably and causes cancer
• High doses kills cell completely, causing radiation sickness if a large part of your body is affected at the same time.
• Higher doses of radiation will kill cells. Lower doses of radiation will cause mutations in cell and divide uncontrollably causing cancer.
• Exposure to radiation is called irradiation.
• If an object is near a radioactive source what happens to it?

  The object is exposed to the radioactive source, called irradiation e.g: we are always being irradiated by background radiation sources
• How to reduce risk irradiation?

  1. Keeping sources in lead-line boxes
  2. Standing behind barriers
  3. Being in a different room
  4. Using remote-controlled arms
• Contamination is radioactive particles getting ONTO objects
• If unwanted radioactive atoms get onto or into an object, it is considered contamination.
• The contaminating atoms may decay and release radiation which will cause the user harm. And, dangerous because it can get inside your body.
• How to reduce contamination?

  • Gloves and tongs should be used when handling sources, to avoid particles getting stuck to your skin or under nails.
  • Some industrial workers wear protective suits and masks to stop them breathing in particles
• Radioactive waste is difficult to dispose of safely.
• What happens to most 'low level' waste?

  
  

  It can be disposed of by burying it in secure landfill sites.
• What happens to 'high-level' waste?

  It can stay highly radioactive for years.

  1. It is often sealed into glass blocks.
  2. Then, sealed in a metal canisters
  3. Buried deep underground
• The site has to be geologically stable (no hazards) to bury high-level waste. This is because, it won't allow radioactive material to leak out easily.
• What happens to radioactive material if it leaks?

  IT will contaminate the groundwater, soils, plants, rivers and get into our drinking water.