Question

Discuss the risks associated with long term and short term exposure to radiation.

Answer 1

Q1:a)Risk associated with long term and short term exposure to radiation

Ans:Radiation is energy in the form of particles or waves.Radiation is emitted naturally in sunlight and is also made by man for use in x-rays,cancer treatment,and for nuclear facilities and weapons ..

Long term exposure to small amounts of radiation can lead to gene mutations and increase the risk of cancer,while exposure to a large amount over a brief period can lead to radiation sickness.some examples of the symptoms seen in radiation sickness include nausea,skin burns,hairloss,and reduced organ functions,in severe cases,exposure to a large amount of radiation can even cause death .Healthy cells are damaged during radiation treatment usually recover with in a few months after the treatment is over.But sometimes people may have side effects that do not improve.other side effects may show up months or years after radiation therapy is over these are called late effects.cancer is the biggest long term risk,usually when the body's cells reach their sell by date they commit suicide cancer results when cells lose this ability,and effectively become immortal continuing to divide and divide in an unaltered controllable fasion.failure to properly repair the damage caused by radiation can also results in changes or mutations- to the body's genetic material (DNA) which are not only associated with cancer but may also be potentially passed down to offspring,leading to deformities in future generations.These can include smaller head or brain size,poorly formed eyes,slow growth and severe learning difficulties.

A very high level of radiation exposure delivered over a short period of time can cause symptoms such as Nausea and Vomiting with in hours and can sometimes result in death over the following days or weeks.This is known as acute radiation syndrome,commonly known as radiation sickness.Exposure to low levels of radiation encountered in the environment does not cause immediate health effects,but is a minor contributor to our overall cancer risk,the higher the dose ,the greater the risk.