The concept of "radiation" is firmly rooted in our minds as a sharply negative and dangerous phenomenon. However, man continues to use it for his own purposes. What does she really represent? What is radiation measured in? How does it affect a living organism?
Radiation and radioactivity
The word radiation from the Latin radiation is translated as "radiation", "radiance", therefore the term itself refers to the process of radiation of energy. Energy is distributed in space in the form of flows of particles and waves.
There are various types of radiation - it can be thermal (infrared), light, ultraviolet, ionizing. The latter is the most dangerous and harmful, this also includes alpha, beta, gamma, neutron and x-rays. It represents invisible microscopic particles that can ionize a substance.
Radiation does not occur on its own, it is formed by substances or objects with certain properties. The nuclei of the atoms of these substances are unstable, when they decay, energy begins to radiate. The ability of substances and objects to ionizing (radioactive) radiation is called radioactivity.
Radioactive sources
Contrary to the opinion that radiation is only atomic stations and bombs, it should be noted that there are two types of it: natural and artificial. The first is present almost everywhere. In outer space, stars, for example, our Sun, can radiate it.
On Earth, water, soil, sand have radioactivity, but radiation doses in this case are not too large. They can range from 5 to 25 microroentgen per hour. The planet itself also has the ability to emit. Its bowels contain many radioactive substances, such as coal or uranium. Even bricks have similar properties.
People received artificial radiation only in the 20th century. Man has learned to act on unstable nuclei of substances, to obtain energy, to accelerate the movement of charged particles. As a result, the source of radiation was, for example, nuclear power plants and nuclear weapons, instruments for diagnosing diseases and sterilizing products.
What is radiation measured in?
Radiation is accompanied by various processes, therefore, there are several units of measure that characterize the action of ionizing flows and waves. The names of what radiation is measured in are often associated with the names of the scientists who studied it. So, there are becquerels, curies, pendants and X-rays. For an objective assessment of radiation, the properties of radioactive materials are measured:
What is measured | What is radiation measured in |
source activity | Bq (Becquerel), Ki (Curie) |
energy flux density | |
The effect of radioactivity on non-living tissue is measured as follows:
What is measured | Value | unit of measurement |
absorbed dose | the amount of radiation particles that the substance has absorbed | Gr (Gray), glad |
exposure dose | the amount of absorbed radiation + the degree of ionization of the substance | R (X-ray), K / kg (Pendant per kilogram) |
The effects of radiation on living organisms:
What is measured | Value | unit of measurement |
equivalent dose | dose of absorbed radiation multiplied by the degree of hazard coefficient of the type of radiation | Sv (Sievert), rem |
effective equivalent dose | the amount of equivalent doses for all parts of the body, taking into account the effect on each organ | Sv. Rem |
equivalent dose rate | biological effects of radiation over time | Sv / h (Sievert per hour) |
Human exposure
Radiation can cause irreparable biological changes in the body. Small particles - ions, penetrating into living tissue, can break the bonds between the molecules. Of course, the effect of radiation depends on the dose received. The natural radiation background is not life threatening, and it is impossible to get rid of it.
Radiation exposure in humans is called radiation. It can be somatic (bodily) and genetic. The somatic effects of radiation are manifested in the form of various diseases: tumors, leukemia, and organ malfunction. The main manifestation is radiation sickness of varying severity.
The genetic consequences of radiation are manifested in the violation of the organs of fertilization or affect the health of future generations. One of the manifestations of the genetic effect are mutations.
Radiation penetration
Unfortunately, mankind has already happened to find out how powerful radiation is. The catastrophes that happened in Ukraine and Japan have affected the lives of many people. Prior to Chernobyl and Fukushima, the majority of the world's population did not think about the mechanisms of radiation and the simplest safety measures.
Ionizing radiation is a stream of particles or quanta, it has several types, each of which has its own penetrating ability. The weakest are alpha rays or particles. An obstacle for them is even leather and thin clothes. Danger arises from direct exposure to the lungs or digestive tract.
Beta particles are electrons, they are held back by thin glass, wooden materials. X-rays and gamma rays penetrate objects and tissues better. They can be delayed by a lead plate, a meter thick, or several tens of meters of reinforced concrete. Neutron radiation occurs during artificial activity, during a nuclear reaction.
To protect against it, materials containing hydrogen, beryllium, graphite are used, water, polyethylene, and paraffin are used.
Conclusion
In a broad sense, radiation is a process of radiation that comes from a body. Usually this term is used in the understanding of ionizing radiation - a stream of elementary particles that can affect objects and organisms. The effect of radiation can be different, it all depends on the dose.
We encounter natural radiation every day, as it surrounds us everywhere. Its amount is usually small. Artificial radiation can be much more dangerous, and its consequences are more serious.