HARRomeo
Heliman
Location: Merrimack, NH USA
My Posts This: Topic Forum | Actually, Gamma rays are just one type of radiation, not where radiation comes from. Radiation refers to the propagation of waves and particles through space and includes both electromagnetic radiation and atomic and subatomic particle radiation. Heat is a form of radiation. Radioactivity is also a type of radiation, and is produced from the decay of unstable atoms (like Uranium 234, Plutonium, etc.) There are 4 types of radioactivity: Alpha, Beta, Electromagnetic (Gamma), and Neutronal. Gamma is by far the most dangerous to us as it can penetrate our bodies deeply and cause the most cellular destruction (radioactive poisoning). Smoke detectors mostly emit Alpha waves, which are easily stopped from penetrating our bodies by our skin itself, clothing, even paper. Although Gamma rays are produced artificially through atomic collision, they also occur naturally when unstable atoms change energy states (atomic decomposition). During atomic decay alpha, beta, and gamma radiation is produced. Neutronic radiation is primarily only caused by atomic collision, and can penetrate the furtherst of any of the particle radioactives (Alpha, Beta, and Neutron are all particle emissions. Gamma is an electromagnetic wave.) The amount of radiation you're exposed to daily depends on where you live and what your lifestyle is, but generally the average human is exposed to 360mrem per year, while those working in the Nuclear industry can run as high as 5000mrem per year. |
