Table of Contents
- 1 What exactly does radioactive mean?
- 2 What does radioactive mean for dummies?
- 3 What does radioactive do to humans?
- 4 What does radioactive do to your body?
- 5 How is radiation removed?
- 6 What is the difference between radioactive and radiation?
- 7 What is meant by radioactivity?
- 8 Why are certain elements radioactive?
What exactly does radioactive mean?
1 : the giving off of rays of energy or particles by the breaking apart of atoms of certain elements (as uranium) 2 : the rays or particles that are given off when atoms break apart. radioactivity. noun. ra·dio·ac·tiv·i·ty | \ -ak-ˈtiv-ət-ē \
What does radioactive mean for dummies?
Radioactivity is the spontaneous decay of an unstable nucleus. An unstable nucleus may break apart into two or more other particles with the release of some energy. This breaking apart can occur in a number of ways, depending on the particular atom that’s decaying.
Why is radioactive bad?
Radiation damages the cells that make up the human body. Low levels of radiation are not dangerous, but medium levels can lead to sickness, headaches, vomiting and a fever. High levels can kill you by causing damage to your internal organs. Exposure to radiation over a long time can cause cancer.
What does radioactive do to humans?
Exposure to very high levels of radiation, such as being close to an atomic blast, can cause acute health effects such as skin burns and acute radiation syndrome (“radiation sickness”). It can also result in long-term health effects such as cancer and cardiovascular disease.
What does radioactive do to your body?
Why does radiation make you sick?
Radiation sickness occurs when high-energy radiation damages or destroys certain cells in your body. Regions of the body most vulnerable to high-energy radiation are cells in the lining of your intestinal tract, including your stomach, and the blood cell-producing cells of bone marrow.
How is radiation removed?
Decontamination involves removing external radioactive particles. Removing clothing and shoes eliminates about 90 percent of external contamination. Gently washing with water and soap removes additional radiation particles from the skin.
What is the difference between radioactive and radiation?
Radioactivity is the spontaneous nuclear transformation that results in the formation of new elements whereas radiation is the process where waves or energy particles (e.g., Gamma rays, x-rays, photons) travel through a medium or space.
What are some examples of radioactivity?
The process of decaying into a stable element is what we call “radioactive”. Some examples are H3 tritium for hydrogen, Iridium-192, Cobalt-60, Cesium-137, Californium-157, Radon gas, and dozens and dozens of other man-made radioisotopes.
What is meant by radioactivity?
Medical Definition of radioactivity. : the property possessed by some elements (as uranium) or isotopes (as carbon 14) of spontaneously emitting energetic particles (as electrons or alpha particles) by the disintegration of their atomic nuclei.
Why are certain elements radioactive?
A number of elements have atoms or nuclei which are unstable and consequently split up to form smaller atoms. This is due to all elements wanting to achieve equilibrium or stability in the nucleus. A substance is said to be radioactive if it contains unstable nuclei and is able to naturally release energy in the process…