Transcript Effects of Nuclear Radiation

Effects of Nuclear Radiation
By:
Ian Peterman, Kelly Murphy and
Andy Torrey
Non-Ionizing Radiation
• Electromagnetic radiation that does not carry
enough energy to remove an electron from an
atom or molecule.
• Radio waves- Used in communications.
• Micro waves- Used in navigation,
communication, and power.
• Infrared waves- Used in cooking and heating.
• Non-Ionizing effects are mostly unharmful and
are less powerful than visible light.
Ionizing Radiation
• Any electromagnetic wave that has enough
energy to remove an electron from an atom or
molecule.
• Made up of X-Rays, Gamma Rays and Ultra
Violet rays which are all more powerful than
visible light.
• Ionizing radiation is harmful.
Environmental Impact
• Nuclear Fallout – if a nuclear reactor explodes,
nuclear material falls out of the atmosphere.
• In the event of fallout, radioactive material is
carried by the wind and rain and is deposited
at sites far away from the site of the
explosion.
– When you fly, you are exposed to increased
amounts of radiation.
• Plants have seed mutations that prevent them
from sprouting and germinating
– Causes cankers (plant cancers)
• Animals get cancers, damaged capillaries and
blood vessels and heart failures and brain
aneurisms.
• Animals exposed to incredible amounts of
microwaves will cook.
What is nuclear scrub‽
• Nuclear scrub can begin within three to five
weeks after the explosion.
• Nuclear accidents also play a large role in the
environment.
• Accidents like Chernobyl usually change the
ecosystem by effecting food sources for
animals, completely changing the food web.
• Nuclear waste from spent nuclear energy is
stored onsite in the United States.
• In Europe, the spent energy is sent to special
check depositories in France and England to
be checked for extra energy and is then stored
at these depositories.
– Stored in large ponds of water encased in lead.
Medical Impact
• Radiation treatment can be used beneficially
in cancer treatment.
• This uses x-rays, gamma rays or electron
packets of energy.
• X-Rays are used to diagnose a disease.
• Gamma rays and electron packets are used to
kill cancer cells.
• Application of radiation therapy in the medical
field include:
– MRI’s
– CT Scans
– Radioisotope Therapy
– Brachytherapy
– External Beam Radiation
• Radiation, oddly, can cause and destroy
cancer.
Human Repercussions
• Nuclear weapon testing usually has
horrendous effects on humans.
– In the Pacific
– Nevada
• In the short term, nuclear blasts can cause “A
Bomb Disease”.
– nausea, diarrhea, headaches, generic discomfort
Radiation of the Universe
• Stars, when they supernova, release as much
energy in gamma rays in four seconds as our sun
releases in ten billion years.
• Supernovas release incredible amounts of
radiation when a supernova occurs.
• Neutron stars, a product from a supernova,
release incredible amounts of gamma rays.
– Enough that if a person stood on a planet orbiting a
neutron star they would turn immediately into a giant
cancer.
Cool Stuff
• http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/comm
ons/2/20/Radiation_Dose_Chart_by_Xkcd.png
Sources
• http://www.ehow.com/about_5285742_envir
onmental-effects-radiation.html
• http://www.wikipedia.org
• http://wwwbcf.usc.edu/~meshkati/tefall99/part2.html
• We’d like to thank the History and Discovery
Channels for its science documentaries.