EESA10H3 Chapter Notes - Chapter 12: Non-Ionizing Radiation, Ionizing Radiation, Ultraviolet
8 May 2019
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Document Summary
3 major nuclear-reactor accidents have occurred since the creation of nuclear power: windscale, england in 1957, three mile island plant in pennsylvannia in 1979, chernobyl in the former soviet union in 1986. Radon gas emanating from underlying geological formations or building materials in homes is a far more common and significant source of public exposure to ionizing radiation than emissions from nuclear plants. Many radiation scientists believe that ppl don"t understand that smoking and driving are much more dangerous than exposure to low levels of radiation. Ionizing portion of the spectrum includes gamma rays and ultraviolet radiation. The distinguishing feature of ionizing radiation is that it has a photon or particle sufficiently energetic to break chemical bonds damaging the dna of an atom or molecule in tissue carcinogenic. Nonionizing radiation is not energetic enough to disrupt electrons and hence is not thought to be genotoxic but it can heat tissue.
