Dangers of radioactivity Flashcards
why are microwaves dangerous
warms up water molecules, and there are water molecules inside orangisms
What is EM radiation
produced by changes in the arrangements of electrons in atoms
how can EM radiation be caused
caused by providing energy to the atom by heating
What does the special grating on a microwave do
blocks the microwave radiation used by appliance, but shorter wavelengths still escape
what does higher frequency EM radiation do
transfers more energy and harder to block
what does UV light do
transfers a lot of energy to the skin burning cells
What do X-rays and gamma rays do when used incorrectly
damage DNA molecules in cells, causing mutation
When can radiation be used appropriately in the medical industry
when the benefit is higher than the risk
minimum possible dose is used
Contamination
when someone gets particles of radioactive material on their body
this can happen during nuclear accidents
