Dangers of Radiation Flashcards

All 11 cards in this deck

State two ways in which ionising radiation can be dangerous to humans.

Any two: it damages or kills cells; it mutates DNA / causes chromosomal damage; it can cause cancer; it causes radiation sickness; it can burn the skin.

State two precautions a teacher should take when demonstrating an experiment with a radioactive source.

Any two: keep a safe distance; point the source away from people; handle the source with tongs; limit the exposure time / return the source to the lead-lined store as soon as possible; use shielding or a screen; wear a film badge.

True or false? Standing further away from a radioactive source reduces the dose of radiation you receive.

True. This is why sources are handled with tongs and at a distance.

What is meant by irradiation?

Being exposed to ionising radiation from a radioactive source outside the body, without touching the source itself.

What is meant by radioactive contamination?

Unwanted radioactive material getting onto or inside an object or a person's body.

True or false? An object that has been irradiated becomes radioactive itself.

False. Irradiation does not make an object radioactive; only contamination leaves radioactive material on or in it.

Why is contamination usually a greater hazard than irradiation once the source has been taken away?

The radioactive material stays on or inside the body and keeps emitting ionising radiation, while irradiation stops as soon as the source is removed or shielded.

What is the purpose of the film badge (dosimeter) worn by medical staff who work with radiation?

It monitors/records the total radiation dose the wearer has received, so their exposure can be checked and kept low.

Which types of radiation are most dangerous to be irradiated by from a source outside the body, and why?

Beta and gamma, because they can pass through the skin and reach internal organs. Alpha is stopped by the skin.

Which type of radiation is most dangerous if a source gets inside the body (contamination), and why?

Alpha. Its range is very short and it ionises heavily, so it dumps all its energy into the nearby cells.

How do hospitals keep the risk to patients from radiation treatment low?

They give each patient the smallest dose that will do the job, and shield the parts of the body not being treated.