effects of radiation

• radioactive material can cause

  dangerous ionisation
• contamination for a longer period gives high doses resulting in mutation

  developing cancer
• Radiation can also deposit large amounts of energy into the body, which can

  damage or destroy cells completely
• alpha radiation is not as dangerous if the radioactive source is outside the body

  because it cannot pass through the skin and is unlikely to reach cells inside the body
• beta and gamma radiation can penetrate the skin and 


  cause damage to cells inside the body

  
• alpha radiation will damage cells if the radioactive source has been

  been breathed in as a gas or dust or if it is swallowed.

  this is contamination.

  
• high doses of radiation on the eyes can cause

  cataracts.

  
• high doses of radiation in the thyroid can cause the

  iodine to build up and cause cancer particular during growth

  
• high doses of radiation to the lungs by breathing in radionactive isotopes can cause

  damage to DNA

  
• Radioactive isotopes can sit in the stomach and


  irradiate for a long time.

  
• high doses to reproductive organs can cause

  sterility or mutations.

  
• Radiation can burn skin or cause


  skin cancer
• Radiation with the bone marrow can cause

  leukaemia and other diseases of the blood.