Jump to content

Radiation


fiveworlds

Recommended Posts

Is being exposed to too little radiation harmful?

If you're unlucky. Yes.

Some particle emitted by radioactive isotope can pass through your cells, causing ionization, and damaging cell's DNA in such way it'll become cancer.

Then it'll be spreading damage to the next generation of cell and cancer will grow with time.

 

Eating food containing unstable isotopes with short half-lives is dangerous as you introduce these atoms to become part of your cells.

Breathing gaseous unstable isotopes might end up with lung cancer.

 

Too much radiation, caused by nuclear weapon, or nuclear reactor, and so much cells will be damaged at the same time that whole organism will be malfunctioning, and death will be sudden and painful.

Edited by Sensei
Link to comment
Share on other sites

If you're unlucky. Yes.

Some particle emitted by radioactive isotope can pass through your cells, causing ionization, and damaging cell's DNA in such way it'll become cancer.

Then it'll be spreading damage to the next generation of cell and cancer will grow with time.

 

Eating food containing unstable isotopes with short half-lives is dangerous as you introduce these atoms to become part of your cells.

Breathing gaseous unstable isotopes might end up with lung cancer.

 

Too much radiation, caused by nuclear weapon, or nuclear reactor, and so much cells will be damaged at the same time that whole organism will be malfunctioning, and death will be sudden and painful.

Pardon?

Did you read the question properly?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Pardon?

Did you read the question properly?

Did you?

 

That question can be interpreted many different ways.

Radiation can be non-ionizing (photons with small energies), or ionizing radiation (uv, x-rays, gamma rays photons, alpha, beta particles etc).

OP didn't mention which one he has in mind (so I assumed he is interested in radiation caused by decay of radioactive isotopes).

 

What does mean "too little radiation"?

Less than background radiation?

Or slightly more, but "small"?

 

Does lack of non-ionizing radiation harmful? i.e. lack of light - check on Arctic..

Edited by Sensei
Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

What does mean "too little radiation"?

 

Less than what might be required. (As in "too little food" or "too little oxygen")

 

You described the negative effects of radiation. What the OP asked was about the possible negative effects of absence of radiation.

 

But I also assumed he meant ionizing radiation, rather than say sunlight (or TV broadcasts).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Less than what might be required. (As in "too little food" or "too little oxygen")

 

You described the negative effects of radiation. What the OP asked was about the possible negative effects of absence of radiation.

 

But I also assumed he meant ionizing radiation, rather than say sunlight (or TV broadcasts).

 

 

Or (shudder) wi-fi

 

 

Correct I am a bit slow to reply today my flat Shower Glass exploded because of thermal shock.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Did you?

 

That question can be interpreted many different ways.

Radiation can be non-ionizing (photons with small energies), or ionizing radiation (uv, x-rays, gamma rays photons, alpha, beta particles etc).

OP didn't mention which one he has in mind (so I assumed he is interested in radiation caused by decay of radioactive isotopes).

 

What does mean "too little radiation"?

Less than background radiation?

Or slightly more, but "small"?

 

Does lack of non-ionizing radiation harmful? i.e. lack of light - check on Arctic..

Yes, I read it.

And, with respect I think there's a better chance that I understood it than that you did.

Where you say "What does mean "too little radiation"?"

I presume that you mean

"What does 'too little radiation' mean?"

And the answer to that is not enough radiation.

 

The question is a bit vague because they don't specify what sort of radiation they mean.

But the meaning of "too little" is clear

Edited by John Cuthber
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The question is a bit vague because they don't specify what sort of radiation they mean.

But the meaning of "too little" is clear

 

No, it's not. There is needed info what is meant to be origin, normal amount of radiation. I can interpret it as "smaller amount than average Earth's background radiation".

 

Radiation from radioactive isotopes we count in Becquerels (Bq), or Sieverts (Sv). It can't be smaller than 0 Bq.

Bq per area, per volume, Sv per second, or per hour, per year etc. etc.

 

Background radiation is higher value than 0 Bq.

 

IMHO background radiation is also harmful, and causing cancers in long term (like 50 years), but you have to be unlucky. This process is random, this is what my 1st post was about in the first place.

 

There are plans to use vertical DNA chains as particle detector:

http://www.wired.com/2012/07/gold-dna-dark-matter/

When particle will be passing through DNA, they will be randomly cut.

Now imagine ANY amount of radioactive isotopes (from natural abundant) doing the same in your cells for 50 years+.

Edited by Sensei
Link to comment
Share on other sites

What if the ionizing radiation did not have enough energy to pass your skin? Skin is replaced every few days and it may kill off bacteria. Ionizing radiation is also used to sterilize food.

Edited by fiveworlds
Link to comment
Share on other sites

What if the ionizing radiation did not have enough energy to pass your skin? Skin is replaced every few days and it may kill off bacteria.

 

See example uv photons. They have very few energy each. But they can cause skin cancer.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

There is no good evidence that this is true. (you are ignoring repair mechanisms, for example)

 

It's kinda the same argumentation as with f.e. global warming.. Effects are after dozen years after event causing them, so it's easier to tell there is no evidence..

 

Isn't presence of cancer proof? Compare data of people before '45 and after '45..

or compare cancer presence in 3rd world countries and western..

 

Background radiation in USA, Russia, and other countries that performed nuclear weapon tests on their territory, are much higher than background radiation of 3rd world countries..

 

US_fallout_exposure.png

(image from background radiation wiki page http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Background_radiation )

Edited by Sensei
Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

No, it's not. There is needed info what is meant to be origin, normal amount of radiation. I can interpret it as "smaller amount than average Earth's background radiation".

 

 

Nope.

No reference or origin needs to be specified because it's implied by the use of the word "too"..

The reference is "just the right amount"- it has nothing to do with whatever the current background is.

I have a lot of respect for people who can post stuff in their second language, but it's silly when they start arguing about English with not one, but two native speakers.

Strange and I have both pointed out your error..

Arguing won't change that.

 

Meanwhile, back at the topic.

Since everything emits radiation unless it's at absolute zero, then no radiation would be plainly a bad thing- the cold would kill you, and so would the vacuum.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

IMHO background radiation is also harmful, and causing cancers in long term.

There is no good evidence that this is true. (you are ignoring repair mechanisms, for example)

 

This argument is often used by the nuclear industry.

 

In any other context, body repair mechanisms are regarded as a means of minimizing and sometimes preventing long term damage.

 

In other words, if low level radiation causes no harm, why do repair mechanisms try to minimize its effects?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

In other words, if low level radiation causes no harm, why do repair mechanisms try to minimize its effects?

 

If low level-radiation causes no harm (or at least, less harm than predicted by the LNT model) it is because there are repair mechanisms.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Since the body is an adaptive organism, its not always damage, but change.

As an example, uv causes skin cancer, but, it also makes cells produce melanin, which is a good defense against skin cancer.

The cancer, or damage if you will, only occurs when the body's adaptive processes ( or repair mechanism ) is overcome.

 

I got all my vast knowledge about adaptation and evolution from the first ten minutes of 2001:A Space Odyssey.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There is a hypothesis that a minimum level of radiation is needed to stimulate repair mechanisms in cells. This wouldn't be too surprising a we have evolved with a certain background level.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radiation_hormesis

 

"Hormesis" is pseudo-science and true propaganda by the nuclear lobby. I regret it has found its way into Wikipedia.

 

If low level-radiation causes no harm (or at least, less harm than predicted by the LNT model) it is because there are repair mechanisms.

 

"Less harm observed than the LNT model predicts" is propaganda by the nuclear lobby, too.

What if the ionizing radiation did not have enough energy to pass your skin? Skin is replaced every few days and it may kill off bacteria. Ionizing radiation is also used to sterilize food.

 

Any amount of ionizing radiation efficient against bacteria kills a human too.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I really don't find it so. There is research out there in support. Main issue is the omnipresent background level. Difficult to research without ensuring a ton of controls.

 

We're not talking about the higher levels produced via nuclear reactions, but instead people ending up at levels lower than background. Was a realistic concern when I was still serving aboard a submarine.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.