What happens to your body if you are exposed to radiation?

Answer 1

Well, on the one hand radiation can cause genetic mutation (cell death or cancer)... it can cause illness due to mutated proteins and whatnot that cause cellular function and processes to become messed up (radiation sickness). That is radiation, by itself. Radioactive material gives off radiation. If consumed or ingested, the source of radiation would be inside the body, providing a continuous dose.

Most radioactive materials are poisonous by its very chemical nature... like uranium, which is a heavy metal... and is poisonous regardless of its isotopic properties.

And chemical isotope that has one chemical property can be consumed and utilized by the body, naturally... like the formation of cell membranes or calcium for bones. If those chemicals themselves were radioactive then when they decay, they will convert to alternative chemicals. The radiation or material itself is irrelevant in this case, but the problem arises in the fact that essential components of the body are no longer built using the proper materials. Things fall apart.

Answer 2

Radiation, if absorbs in our body, it can lead to cause diarrhea, vomiting, internal bleeding, decrease in blood cells, loss of teeth and hair, reduction of sperm in the male which can result to infertility, possible cancer, etc...

In essence, radiation waves can impact a substance and change it into something else. So when a radiation wave, say a gamma ray (the most dangerous and penetrating ray) impacts a person's flesh, it will take the substances of his flesh and change it into something else, which is harmful.

[SEE "What is radiation" by searching for it in Answers]

Answer 3

Radium is a radioactive chemical element, very dangerous, an alpha radiations emitter; radium is also a source of radon, by decay - radon (gas) is also a radioactive element.

But radium was used in the past for the raditherapy of some cancers.

Answer 4

Atomic radiation is the name given to high energy particles which penetrate.

These incoming particles may knock off the electrons from an outer orbit, thus changing the chemistry of the atom as far as its neighbours are concerned. The molecule may fall apart, or at least it will not be what it is supposed to be.

A very high energy particle could actually knock something out of the nucleus, it which case you would certainly not have the atom you should.

This is why it is called 'ionizing radiation' it ionizes.

Answer 5

Ionizing radiation tends to break covalent bonds between atoms, disturbing chemical processes that occur amongst molecules.

Above certain very high levels, say around 8 sieverts (old units, around 800 rem), we will die. At lower levels, we may get sick, but we usually recover, depending on treatment. At even lower levels, we might not even notice the impact.

There are two schools of thought...

Long term exposure to low levels of radiation is believed to increase the probability of developing certain forms of cancer. Problem is that we don't know for sure, because the statistics are poor. As a result, the attitude in the industry is to be As Low As Reasonably Achievable (ALARA).

On the other hand, some schools of thought propose that ultra low levels of radiation, such as what we all get from naturally occurring sources, such as cosmic rays and background radiation from the Earth, actually contributes to our well being, by stressing our bodies, forcing them to repair the minor cell damage that occurs when ionizing events occurs. This is sort of a part of natural selection.

In the middle of the road, then, are medical radiation sources, such as x-rays, cat-scans, and other imaging, such as a heart scan or a bone scan. These are actually quite substantial doses, when you look at them from a nuclear worker's point of view, but from the medical community's point of view, they are considered routine, and the risk benefit ratio is reasonable.

Answer 6

Some electromagnetic radiation will give you a sun burn, another kind will give you cataracts. Some will give you heat burns, or radiation burns, or "snow blindness" or cancer.

Answer 7

you can get burns and cancers.