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Four types of nuclear radiation exist within a reactor: alpha, beta, gamma, and neutron.Mar 31, 2011

What type of radiation do nuclear reactors produce?

Radiation particularly associated with nuclear medicine and the use of nuclear energy, along with X-rays, is 'ionizing' radiation, which means that the radiation has sufficient energy to interact with matter, especially the human body, and produce ions, i.e. it can eject an electron from an atom.

Do nuclear reactors emit radiation?

Nuclear plants emit almost no radiation. Ironically, coal-fired power plants emit about three times as much radiation as nuclear power plants due to naturally occurring radiation from the ground. Radiation exposure from a nuclear power plant is about 1/300 the natural background level of radiation.

What Can radiation from a nuclear plant cause?

At high doses, ionizing radiation can cause immediate damage to a person's body, including radiation sickness and death. Ionizing radiation is also a carcinogen, even at low doses; it causes cancer primarily because it damages DNA. However, the lower the dose of ionizing radiation, the lower the chances of harm.

What type of nuclear radiation was Fukushima?

The accident was rated level 7 on the International Nuclear and Radiological Event Scale, due to high radioactive releases over days 4 to 6, eventually a total of some 940 PBq (I-131 eq). All four Fukushima Daiichi reactors were written off due to damage in the accident – 2719 MWe net.

What type of radiation is Fukushima emitting?

Releases from the Fukushima reactors have included dozens of radioactive elements, but with regard to materials released into the ocean, most of the attention has been on three radioactive isotopes released in large amounts: iodine-131, cesium-137, and cesium-134.

What is the main source of nuclear radiation?

The main contributors are natural deposits of uranium, potassium and thorium which, in the process of natural decay, release small amounts of ionizing radiation. Uranium and thorium are “ubiquitous”, meaning they are found essentially everywhere.

Do nuclear reactors release gamma radiation?

Four Major Forms of Radiation in a Nuclear Reactor Four types of nuclear radiation exist within a reactor: alpha, beta, gamma, and neutron.

Can a nuclear reactor explode like a bomb?

While a nuclear reactor can never explode like an atomic bomb, an explosion can still occur. All power plants are a potential site for an explosion, because the fuel used, whether it is coal, uranium, or natural gas, needs to be energy dense.

Is Nagasaki still radioactive?

Is there still radiation in Hiroshima and Nagasaki? The radiation in Hiroshima and Nagasaki today is on a par with the extremely low levels of background radiation (natural radioactivity) present anywhere on Earth. It has no effect on human bodies.