Part+1a

__Biological Effects of Radiation on Humans:

Symptoms Associated with Radiation Exposure__ Short-Term:

Blistering Death of skin tissue Nausea Vomiting Headache Minor loss of white blood cells

Long-Term: Fever Diarrhea Loss of Hair Mutation of Cells, which can cause the uncontrollable abnormal growth of cells, which causes cancer Vulnerability to disease due to significant loss of white blood cells Reduction in blood platelet production, which inhibits the body's ability to coagulate Cataracts Mutated DNA in offspring Early signs of aging Death

Radiation symptoms can also depend on the dosage of exposure. Nuclear Medicine procedures limit the dosages of radioactive medicines administered to patients to prevent fatal radiation dosages from occurring. Nuclear power was the first application of radiation, and therefore has few limits. Its purpose is to kill people, and therefore, dosage limits are not required, although nuclear disarmament talks and actions are being taken to reduce the number of nuclear bombs owned by countries to prevent deaths from occurring. Background radiation cannot be regulated, because it is radiation that is produced by nature. However, sun tan lotion can be applied to reduce background radiation exposure deriving from the sun.

Biological Effects of Radiation on the Environment:

Radioactive materials can contaminate the environment, which has a significant impact on humans and wildlife. Naturally radioactive radium is present in water, and there is naturally radioactive contamination found in water as a result. Nuclear Power Plant disasters such as Three Mile Island and Chernobyl can contaminate the surrounding areas. The dropping of the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki resulted in the contamination of radiation into the atmosphere for quite a while. People were inhaling radiation without even knowing it. Furthermore, in the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings, radiation was collected in rain, and therefore radiation was being rained down. The decomposition of naturally present radium often decays into radon through alpha decay. Radon is a gas, which can be introduced into the atmosphere of a home, where it can be inhaled.

Biological Effects of Radiation on Wildlife:

There was a new study on worm reproduction in Russia after the incident of Chernobyl. Worms before the incident reproduced asexually. However, to increase the chances of survival, it was found that the worms are now mating with each other.

Also, during the Chernobyl accident, it is said that the embryos of mice dissolved and the thryroid glands of horses just disintegrated as a result of exposure to radiation. Thyroid damage caused cows to stop growing around Chernobyl.

__Deterministic Effects vs. Stochastic Effects__

Stochastic Effects refers to effects of radiation that may or may not occur, and pretty much occur randomly. Deterministic Effects refers to effects of radiation that will definitely occur, and do not just randomly occur.