Many associate radiation with unavoidable diseases that are difficult to treat. And this is partly true. The worst and deadliest weapons are called nuclear. Therefore, it is not without reason that radiation is considered one of the greatest disasters on earth. What is radiation and what are its consequences? Consider these issues in this article.
Radioactivity is the nuclei of some atoms that are unstable. As a result of this property, the decay of the nucleus occurs, which is due to ionizing radiation. This radiation is called radiation. It has high power energy. The effect of radiation on the human body is to change the composition of cells.
There are several types of radiation, depending on the level of its effect on living organisms.
The first type is alpha particles. Radioactive elements are subject to alpha decay : uranium, bismuth, thorium and some others. Simply put, isotopes of heavy elements decay.
What is radioactive decay? This is the ejection of the nucleus of any particle. As a result, another element of the chemical table is formed based on the initial element. Alpha decay is the ejection of a nucleus from alpha particles.
The second type is beta particles. It is also one of the frequent types of decay. Almost all elements of the chemical table are subject to it. Most often, minus beta decay occurs. This is the ejection of a beta particle nucleus minus. As a result, an element is formed that is to the right of the initial one in the chemical table, which has a number one more.
The third type includes gamma radiation. This is a more gentle radioactive radiation.
The last two species are neutrons and x-rays. We encounter this type of radiation in everyday life. It is the safest for the human body.
Therefore, speaking about what radiation is, it is necessary to take into account the level of its radiation and the harm done to living organisms.
Radioactive particles have tremendous energy power. They penetrate the body and collide with its molecules and atoms. As a result of this process, their destruction occurs. The peculiarity of the human body is that it mainly consists of water. Therefore, the molecules of this substance are exposed to radioactive particles. As a result, compounds are very harmful to the human body. They become part of all chemical processes occurring in a living organism. All this leads to the destruction and destruction of cells.
Knowing what radiation is, you also need to know how much harm it does to the body.
Human exposure to radiation is divided into three main categories.
The main harm is done to the genetic background. That is, as a result of infection, a change and destruction of germ cells and their structure occurs. This is reflected in the offspring. A lot of children are born with abnormalities and deformities. This mainly happens in areas that are subject to radiation contamination, that is, they are located near nuclear plants and other enterprises of this level.
The second type of disease that occurs under the influence of radiation is hereditary diseases at the genetic level, which appear after some time.
The third type is immune diseases. The body under the influence of radioactive radiation becomes susceptible to viruses and diseases. That is, immunity is reduced.
Salvation from radiation is distance. The permissible level of radiation for a person is 20 micro-roentgen. In this case, it does not affect the human body.
Knowing what radiation is, you can to some extent protect yourself from its effects.