The concept of "radiation" is firmly rooted in our minds as a sharply negative and dangerous phenomenon. However, the person continues to use it for their own purposes. What does she really represent? How is radiation measured? How does it affect a living organism?
Radiation and radioactivity
The word radiation from the Latin radiation translates as "radiation", "shine", so the term itself refers to the process of radiation of energy. Energy propagates in space in the form of streams of particles and waves.
There are different types of radiation - it can be thermal (infrared), light, ultraviolet, ionizing. The latter is the most dangerous and harmful, it also includes alpha, beta, gamma, neutron and x-rays. It is invisible microscopic particles capable of ionizing matter.
Radiation does not occur by itself, it is formed by substances or objects with certain properties. The nuclei of atoms of these substances are unstable, and when they decay, energy begins to radiate. The ability of substances and objects to ionizing(radioactive) radiation is called radioactivity.
Radioactive sources
Contrary to the opinion that radiation is only nuclear power plants and bombs, it should be noted that there are two types of it: natural and artificial. The first is present almost everywhere. In outer space, stars, such as our Sun, can emit it.
On Earth, water, soil, sand have radioactivity, but the doses of radiation in this case are not too high. They can range from 5 to 25 microroentgens per hour. The planet itself also has the ability to radiate. Its bowels contain many radioactive substances, such as coal or uranium. Even bricks have similar properties.
Artificial radiation people received only in the XX century. Man has learned to influence the unstable nuclei of substances, to obtain energy, to accelerate the movement of charged particles. As a result, sources of radiation have become, for example, nuclear power plants and nuclear weapons, devices for diagnosing diseases and sterilizing products.
How is radiation measured?
Radiation is accompanied by various processes, so there are several units of measurement that characterize the action of ionizing flows and waves. The names of what radiation is measured in are often associated with the names of the scientists who studied it. So, there are becquerels, curies, coulombs and x-rays. For an objective assessment of radiation, the properties of radioactive materials are measured:
| What is being measured | Whatradiation is measured |
| source activity | Bq (Becquerel), Ci (Curie) |
| energy flux density |
The effect of radioactivity on non-living tissues is measured as follows:
| What is being measured | Meaning | Unit of measurement |
| absorbed dose | number of radiation particles absorbed by matter | Gy (Grey), happy |
| exposure dose | amount of absorbed radiation + degree of ionization of matter | R (X-ray), K/kg (Coulomb per kilogram) |
Effect of radiation on living organisms:
| What is being measured | Meaning | Unit of measurement |
| equivalent dose | dose of absorbed radiation multiplied by the coefficient of the degree of danger of the type of radiation | Sv (Sievert), rem |
| effective equivalent dose | The sum of equivalent doses for all parts of the body, taking into account the effect on each organ | Sv, rem |
| Equivalent Dose Rate | biological effects of radiation over time | Sv/h (Sievert per hour) |
Human impact
Radiation radiation can cause irreparable biological changes in the body. Small particles - ions, penetrating into living tissues, can break bonds between molecules. Of course, the effect of radiation depends on the dose received. The natural radiation background is not life-threatening, and it is impossible to get rid of it.
Radiation exposure to humans is called exposure. It can be somatic (bodily) and genetic. The somatic effects of irradiation manifest themselves in the form of various diseases: tumors, leukemia, and organ dysfunction. The main manifestation is radiation sickness of varying severity.
Genetic consequences of radiation are manifested in the violation of the organs of fertilization or affect the he alth of future generations. Mutations are one manifestation of the genetic effect.
Radiation penetrating power
Unfortunately, humanity has already learned the power of radiation. The catastrophes that happened in Ukraine and Japan affected the lives of many people. Before Chernobyl and Fukushima, the majority of the world's population did not think about the mechanisms of radiation action and about the simplest security measures.
Ionizing radiation is a stream of particles or quanta, it has several types, each of which has its own penetrating ability. The weakest are alpha rays or particles. Even skin and thin clothes serve as an obstacle for them. Danger arises from direct contact with the lungs ordigestive tract.
Beta particles are electrons, they are trapped by thin glass, wooden materials. X-ray and gamma rays penetrate objects and tissues better. They can be held back by a meter-thick lead plate, or several tens of meters of reinforced concrete. Neutron radiation occurs during artificial activity, during a nuclear reaction.
To protect against it, materials containing hydrogen, beryllium, graphite are used, water, polyethylene, paraffin are used.
Conclusion
In a broad sense, radiation is a process of radiation that comes from some body. Usually this term is used in the understanding of ionizing radiation - a stream of elementary particles that can affect objects and organisms. The effect of radiation can be different, it all depends on the dose.
We encounter natural radiation every day, as it surrounds us everywhere. Its number is usually small. Artificial radiation can be much more dangerous, and its consequences are more serious.
