Radiation Examples

Fallout from nuclear explosives testing, and small quantities of radioactive materials released to the environment from coal and nuclear power plants, are also sources of radiation exposure to man. …

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.

• ultraviolet light from the sun.
• heat from a stove burner.
• visible light from a candle.
• x-rays from an x-ray machine.
• alpha particles emitted from the radioactive decay of uranium.
• sound waves from your stereo.
• microwaves from a microwave oven.
• electromagnetic radiation from your cell phone.

Nuclear Radiation – What is it? Radiation and radioactive substances are everywhere and have been around since the universe was born. We are exposed to radiation all the time. Radiation reaches us from outer space and is also emitted from radioactive substances in the ground, in the sea and in the air.

How does radiation harm the body? As radioactive material decays, or breaks down, the energy released into the environment has two ways of harming a body that is exposed to it, Higley said. It can directly kill cells, or it can cause mutations to DNA. If those mutations are not repaired, the cell may turn cancerous.

Nuclear energy produces electricity that can be used to power homes, schools, businesses, and hospitals. The first nuclear reactor to produce electricity was located near Arco, Idaho. Nuclear power plants produce renewable, clean energy. They do not pollute the air or release greenhouse gases.

Top 15 Nuclear Generating Countries – by Generation

These range from agriculture to medical, and space exploration to water desalination.

• Agriculture and Food. In many parts of the world, agricultural workers use radiation to prevent harmful insects from reproducing.
• Medical.
• Space Exploration.
• Water Desalination.

The four main reaction types that will be covered in this unit are:

• Fission.
• Fusion.
• Nuclear Decay.
• Transmutation.

The 7 Most Radioactive Items in Your Home

1. Brazil nuts. Brazil nuts (especially the ones grown in Brazil) grow on trees with deep roots, which reach down to soil high in natural radium, a source of radiation.
2. Bananas.
3. Your body.
4. Smoke detectors.
5. Granite countertops.
6. Your grandma’s dinnerware.
7. Cigarettes.

There are two fundamental nuclear processes considered for energy production: fission and fusion.

Disadvantages of Nuclear Power The further implementations of nuclear power are limited because although nuclear energy does not produce CO2 the way fossil fuels do, there is still a toxic byproduct produced from uranium-fueled nuclear cycles: radioactive fission waste.

Nuclear is reliable. Nuclear plants are the most efficient source of electricity, operating 24/7 at a more than 93 percent average capacity factor. (Capacity factor is the ratio of the actual amount of electricity generated by a plant compared to the maximum amount that it could potentially generate.)

Nuclear energy produces radioactive waste A major environmental concern related to nuclear power is the creation of radioactive wastes such as uranium mill tailings, spent (used) reactor fuel, and other radioactive wastes. These materials can remain radioactive and dangerous to human health for thousands of years.

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