Radiation Exposure Essay Example for Free

Radiation Exposure Essay Radiation Exposure Do you know much radiation you are exposed to everyday? Many people are not aware of the radiation levels around them on a daily basis. I believe that exposure to radiation should be minimal. I think protection and prevention is vital. Being aware of the health risks and what can be done to protect yourself should be a well known piece of knowledge. If followed, this knowledge can help reduce radiation exposure levels. Exposure to radiation is higher today than it has ever been before according to Alice Park. Radiation is around you constantly, every day. Radiation has a greater resence when an individual flies on an airplane, smokes cigarettes, receives x-rays, watches television, and uses the microwave. Although not all radiation exposure can be controlled, radiation from x-rays can be kept at a minimum. Radiologic technologists are very careful about how much radiation that the patient has absorbed and what kind of radiation they are exposed to. Gamma ray radiation is the most powerful and damaging of all the radiation particles. Alpha and Beta particles are much weaker and not as harmful. Take for example the Computed Tomography Scan (C. T. scan). A C. T. scan emits gamma rays in large doses. The amount of adiation that an individual is exposed to can be compared to 400 dental x-rays or five-one hour flights. Gamma ray radiation is not what you would want to be openly exposed to. Gamma rays can cause damage over time. I believe protection and prevention of radiation exposure should be a top priority. A commonly asked question about radiation exposure deals with the health risks. Are there any health risks? Take for example aspirin. There are risks for taking aspirin if you take too much. Likewise, radiation when given out in large doses increases health risks. One type of radiation called ionizing radiation can change the structure f the cells in your body according to the Health Physics Society. By changing the structure of the cells in the body, changes in the tissue can occur. This can lead to your cells not being able to reproduce themselves or the cells can start to produce too much. The main structure found in the cell that can be damaged by radiation exposure is the DNA. This structure is one of the most important because it contains our genetic makeup. DNA has the ability to repair minor damage. If DNA is repeatedly damaged by being exposed to radiation, the cell will die. This may seem to be of no importance if a few cells are killed by radiation. However, if these damaged cells are in the vital organs that keep us alive, that organ might not function properly. Of course the effects of radiation exposure are different for each individual. These effects depend on the type of radiation, how you are exposed to it, and our own genetic makeup. Still, a more important question arises due to radiation exposure. Who are at risk for being exposed to radiation? As a general fact cells and tissues that are developing are more affected when radiation interacts with them. The Health Physics Society explains that children are more sensitive to radiation than adults because theyre still n a growing stage. The developing stage is crucial. If you add radiation to this other words, the cells will not do their Jobs. Protection for children from excessive amounts of radiation exposure really became more important to me. No parent wants any child to suffer the harmful effects of radiation exposure. Adults also can have similar effects on themselves if theyre not careful. Protection from radiation from a machine is the best thing to do for children so they wont be harmed. With all the unavoidable radiation and particles around us, what can be done to protect ourselves from exposure? According to the Environmental Protection Agency, there are three basic radiation protection concepts. First, how much time are we being exposed to radiation? Radiation exposure increases as more time is spent near the source of radiation. So, the less time you are exposed the better off you will be. Second, how much distance from the radiation source should there be? The farther away an individual is from the source of radiation, the less they are exposed to it. Distance depends on the size and activity of the radiation being administered. For example, gamma rays travel long distances, while alpha and beta particles dont ravel very far. So, the greater the distance, the less radiation you will be exposed to. Finally, shielding is the last protection concept. Shielding is having something that will absorb radiation between you and the particles or rays of radiation. The amount of shielding depends on the kind of radiation that you are exposed to. For example, an individual who receives gamma ray radiation requires thick, dense shielding such as lead. The higher the gamma ray that one is being exposed to, the thicker the lead protective wear must be. Alpha particles are very weak, but still require some protection. In this case only a thin piece of material, like paper or light clothing is necessary. Beta particles are a little stronger than alpha particles. Beta particles require thicker protection, like heavy clothing. The heavy clothing protects the skin from possibly being burned. Knowing what kind of radiation an individual will be exposed to ahead of time can help to protect oneself against radiation exposure. Most people with common sense would argue several factors against radiation exposure. One of the counter arguments would be what are the levels of radiation people are exposed to on a daily basis. Most people would say that the average amount of radiation exposure is minimal and would not require protection. Over time this builds up and that we could prevent a lot of the exposure we take in. Other people may say that because of minimal exposure we do not protection, but knowing the risks of exposure can help lead to prevention. Another point that can be argued is that most people may already know the risks of radiation and are attempting to limit or prevent radiation exposure. Exposure to radiation happens on a daily basis. By taking the proper steps one can insure that exposure to radiation stays at a minimum. I believe that minimal exposure to radiation is the way to go.