Question

Explain the different properties of radiation and discuss about the application of the radiation 

Answer 1

Applications of Radiation

Radiation and radioactive substances are often used in the medical field for diagnosis, treatment, and research. For example, X-rays. Radiation therapy is also used for cancer treatment.

Electromagnetic radiation is used in almost all modern forms of communication systems.

Radioactive atoms are used to determine the age of materials such as in the process of carbon dating.

Radiation is also used in determining the composition of materials. This process is termed as neutron activation analysis.

On the other hand, radiation also has some harmful effects on living beings. They can cause burns or in serious cases cancer or genetic damages. Radioactive waves are carcinogenic to humans.  

  

Properties of Radiation

(a) All objects emit radiations simply because their temperature is above absolute zero, and all objects absorb some of the radiation that falls on them from other objects.

 

(b) Maxwell on the basis of his electromagnetic theory proved that all radiations are electromagnetic waves and their sources are vibrations of charged particles in atoms and molecules.

 

(c) More radiations are emitted at a higher temperature of a body and lesser at a lower temperature.

 

(d) The wavelength corresponding to maximum emission of radiations shifts from longer wavelength to a shorter wavelength as the temperature increases. Due to this, the colour of a body appears to be changing. Radiations from a body at NTP has predominantly infrared waves.

 

(e) Thermal radiations travel with the speed of light and in a straight line.

 

(f) Radiations are electromagnetic waves and can also travel through a vacuum.

 

(g) Similar to light, thermal radiations can be reflected, refracted, diffracted and polarized.

 

(h) Radiation from a point source obeys inverse square law (intensity= \( intensity a \frac{1}{r^{2}} r 2 1 ​ ). \) 

Intensity varies as =1/r²

 

 

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Properties of Radiation. 

Applications of Radiation