Radiation can damage cells and tissue and mutations
Beta and gamma radiation are basically unharmful to humans as they can penetrate right out of the body. However, if alpha radiation gets inside the body, it can not escape as it cannot pass through human skin, therefore it can cause much damage. It collides with molecules, ionising them which will damage (and sometimes destroy) the molecule.
If the source is at a lower radiation, less damage will be done. For example, it can cause mutations, which can then divide uncontrollable, leading to serious medical conditions such as cancer.
If the source is at a high dose, the cells tend to be killed. This can lead to radiation sickness if a large part of your body is affected at the same time.
NOTE: The extent of the effects depends on how much exposure you have to the radiation and how much energy it has (e.g. how many half-lives has it lived, like does it still have lots of activity or has it already expelled lots and lots).
However, although radiation can cause cancer, it can also be used to treat cancer. If a patient is given a high dose of gamma rays (directed at the cells in the tumour), this can kill those specific cells without harming many others.
The problems arising in the disposal of radioactive waste and describe how the associated risks can be reduced
Low-level waste from places such as hospitals and nuclear power stations (e.g clothing sonf syringes) can be easily disposed of by burying them in landfill sites.
However, high-level waste is very dangerous as it has a very long half-life, so can stay radioactive for a super long time (like 10s of 1000's of years). This waste is often sealed in glass blocks which are sealed in metal canisters which are buried deep underground.
NOTE: This is hard to do as the site must be 'geologically stable' meaning no earthquakes etc as this could cause leakages... which means we die, basically.
Beta and gamma radiation are basically unharmful to humans as they can penetrate right out of the body. However, if alpha radiation gets inside the body, it can not escape as it cannot pass through human skin, therefore it can cause much damage. It collides with molecules, ionising them which will damage (and sometimes destroy) the molecule.
If the source is at a lower radiation, less damage will be done. For example, it can cause mutations, which can then divide uncontrollable, leading to serious medical conditions such as cancer.
If the source is at a high dose, the cells tend to be killed. This can lead to radiation sickness if a large part of your body is affected at the same time.
NOTE: The extent of the effects depends on how much exposure you have to the radiation and how much energy it has (e.g. how many half-lives has it lived, like does it still have lots of activity or has it already expelled lots and lots).
However, although radiation can cause cancer, it can also be used to treat cancer. If a patient is given a high dose of gamma rays (directed at the cells in the tumour), this can kill those specific cells without harming many others.
The problems arising in the disposal of radioactive waste and describe how the associated risks can be reduced
Low-level waste from places such as hospitals and nuclear power stations (e.g clothing sonf syringes) can be easily disposed of by burying them in landfill sites.
However, high-level waste is very dangerous as it has a very long half-life, so can stay radioactive for a super long time (like 10s of 1000's of years). This waste is often sealed in glass blocks which are sealed in metal canisters which are buried deep underground.
NOTE: This is hard to do as the site must be 'geologically stable' meaning no earthquakes etc as this could cause leakages... which means we die, basically.
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