Log out Go to App
Go to App

Learning Materials

Features

Discover

Chapter 25: Problem 50

Discuss briefly the basic difficulties in establishing the physiological effects of low-level radiation.

Short Answer

Expert verified
The basic difficulties in establishing the physiological effects of low-level radiation lie in the subtlety and long-term nature of these effects, the omnipresence of natural background radiation making it hard to isolate the impacts of additional low-level radiation, and the variation in biological responses to radiation among individuals.

Step by step solution

01

Define Low-Level Radiation

Low-level radiation is a term used for levels of ionizing radiation that are near the natural background levels people are exposed to every day. It may come from both natural sources such as radon and man-made sources like medical X-rays or nuclear power plants.
02

Discuss The Physiological Effects

Ionizing radiation has the ability to remove tightly bound electrons from the orbit of an atom, causing the atom to become charged or ionized. In terms of biological effect, the degree of damage in the human body is determined not only by the amount of radiation absorbed but also by the type of radiation and the vulnerability of the organs exposed. Potential physiological effects of this ionization include damage to cells, tissues, organs, and potentially DNA.
03

Identify The Challenges

Establishing the physiological effects of low-level radiation is challenging for several reasons. Firstly, these effects are often subtle and long-term, making them hard to measure accurately. Secondly, since people are exposed to low levels of natural background radiation every day, it is tough to isolate the effects of additional low-level radiation. Lastly, biological responses to radiation can vary greatly among individuals, adding further complexity to detecting and understanding the effects.
04

Summarize The Difficulties

In conclusion, the basic difficulties in establishing the physiological effects of low-level radiation are the subtlety and long-term nature of these effects, the omnipresence of natural background radiation, and the variability of biological responses to radiation among individuals.

Unlock Step-by-Step Solutions & Ace Your Exams!

  • Full Textbook Solutions

    Get detailed explanations and key concepts

  • Unlimited Al creation

    Al flashcards, explanations, exams and more...

  • Ads-free access

    To over 500 millions flashcards

  • Money-back guarantee

    We refund you if you fail your exam.

Start your free trial

Over 30 million students worldwide already upgrade their learning with Vaia!

One App. One Place for Learning.

All the tools & learning materials you need for study success - in one app.

Get started for free

Most popular questions from this chapter

What is the age of a piece of volcanic rock that has a mass ratio of argon- 40 to potassium- 40 of \(2.9 ?\) The half-life of potassium-40 by \(\beta\) decay is \(1.248 \times 10^{9} \mathrm{y}\) and by electron capture \(t_{1 / 2}=1.4 \times 10^{9} \mathrm{y}\).

The packing fraction of a nuclide is related to the fraction of the total mass of a nuclide that is converted to nuclear binding energy. It is defined as the fraction \((M-A) / A,\) where \(M\) is the actual nuclidic mass and \(A\) is the mass number. Use data from a handbook (such as the Handbook of Chemistry and Physics, published by the CRC Press) to determine the packing fractions of some representative nuclides. Plot a graph of packing fraction versus mass number, and compare it with Figure \(25-6 .\) Explain the relationship between the two.

A sample containing \(_{88}^{224} \mathrm{Ra},\) which decays by \(\alpha\) -particle emission, disintegrates at the following rate, expressed as disintegrations per minute or counts per minute \((\mathrm{cpm}): t=0,1000 \mathrm{cpm} ; t=1 \mathrm{h}\) \(992 \mathrm{cpm} ; t=10 \mathrm{h}, 924 \mathrm{cpm} ; t=100 \mathrm{h}, 452 \mathrm{cpm}\) \(t=250 \mathrm{h}, 138 \mathrm{cpm} .\) What is the half-life of this nuclide?

One method of dating rocks is based on their \(^{87} \mathrm{Sr} /^{87} \mathrm{Rb}\) ratio. \(^{87} \mathrm{Rb}\) is a \(\beta^{-}\) emitter with a half- life of \(5 \times 10^{11}\) years. A certain rock has a mass ratio \(^{87} \mathrm{Sr} /^{87} \mathrm{Rb}\) of \(0.004 / 1.00 .\) What is the age of the rock?

Explain why the rem is more satisfactory than the rad as a unit for measuring radiation dosage.
See all solutions

Recommended explanations on Chemistry Textbooks

Inorganic Chemistry

Read Explanation

Kinetics

Read Explanation

The Earths Atmosphere

Read Explanation

Making Measurements

Read Explanation

Organic Chemistry

Read Explanation

Ionic and Molecular Compounds

Read Explanation
View all explanations

What do you think about this solution?

We value your feedback to improve our textbook solutions.

Study anywhere. Anytime. Across all devices.

Sign-up for free