c79 bc6 183 f9d 259 565 320 41a 240 1f7 fed 837 01e 14e b3a 577 276 ea3 870 54b 4e5 f5e 4f5 34c 9b0 558 83f 4cc dfa 740 381 811 9ea 8bf 025 2b1 9e4 4ae 2c2 d21 940 3d6 a05 37f 2f0 d8a 4e3 55b e28 642 909 6bd 387 8c5 70b 817 7c8 cb9 ae1 63f c26 329 aa1 6d4 801 aee 505 907 19b 9e6 4de ca2 f79 ed3 079 07e 9e0 cc7 fd6 a70 c82 6a2 410 8b6 540 122 78d f7c 00e f1f fd4 8bb 77d e9b 3d1 33a ec2 67c 5c0 b66

Today, to benefit humankind, radiation is used in medicine, academics, and industry, as well as for generating electricity. In addition, radiation has useful applications in such areas as agriculture, archaeology (carbon dating), space exploration, law enforcement, geology (including mining), and many others.

What is radiation and why is it important to life?

Radiation is often misunderstood, but helps to save lives and cure disease. Radiation is natural and found everywhere – it comes from outer space, the air we breathe, and the earth we tread. It's even in our bodies; naturally occurring radioactive elements in our bones irradiate us on average 5000 times per second.

How is radiation is important for life on Earth?

Solar radiation provides heat, light, and energy necessary for all living organisms. Infrared radiation supplies heat to all habitats, on land and in the water 24. Without solar radiation, Earth's surface would be about 32°C colder 25. Solar radiation provides the necessary heat and light for life on Earth.

What is the most important radiation?

Gamma rays, or gamma radiation Electromagnetic radiation of high energy. Gamma rays are the most penetrating type of radiation and represent the major external hazard.

What types of radiation are useful to humans?

MEDICINE. Hospitals use radiation in a wide range of ways. X-Ray, CT, and PET machines use X-ray (X-ray and CT) and Gamma radiation (PET) to produce detailed images of the human body, which provide valuable diagnostic information for doctors and their patients.

Can we live without radiation?

Since life on earth evolved in the presence of background radiation between 1 and 10 rem per year (0.01 and 0.10 Sv/year), it appears that life is adapted well to low doses of radiation and doesn't do as well in its complete absence.

Can life survive radiation?

Ionizing radiation can damage DNA and cause illness or death. The sun, by comparison, is much weaker than radioactive metals. Despite these risks, exposure to ionizing radiation can enable some organisms to develop the ability to survive and even flourish under these conditions using a process called radiolysis.

What are the 4 types of radiation?

There are four major types of radiation: alpha, beta, neutrons, and electromagnetic waves such as gamma rays. They differ in mass, energy and how deeply they penetrate people and objects. The first is an alpha particle.

What are characteristics of radiation?

Characteristic radiation. Characteristic radiation arises from the electronic transition in an excited atom. Excitation consists in removal of an electron from an inner shell. It requires energy that can be provided by fast electrons (as it occurs in the x-ray tube or in a scanning electron microscope).

What are some examples of radiation in everyday life?

Radiation Examples

• ultraviolet light from the sun.
• heat from a stove burner.
• visible light from a candle.
• x-rays from an x-ray machine.
• alpha particles emitted from the radioactive decay of uranium.
• sound waves from your stereo.
• microwaves from a microwave oven.
• electromagnetic radiation from your cell phone.