are gamma rays dangerous to humans?
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Gamma rays are a radiation hazard for the entire body. They can easily penetrate barriers that can stop alpha and beta particles, such as skin and clothing. Gamma rays have so much penetrating power that several inches of a dense material like lead, or even a few feet of concrete may be required to stop them.
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Alpha particles lack the energy to penetrate even the outer layer of skin, so exposure to the outside of the body is not a major concern. ... The way these large, heavy particles cause damage makes them more dangerous than other types of radiation.
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Ionizing radiation is especially dangerous as embryonic cells begin separating and discriminate themselves, up until 8 weeks post gestation. The 46-year-old is most at risk; she is only 6 weeks pregnant (first trimester), so the embryo is most vulnerable.
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Gamma rays are highly energetic and have greatest penetrating power compared to other electromagnetic waves. Although, the penetration will depend on the type of interaction the radiation will have with the material.
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So, are metal detectors a health risk? No. The amount radiation emitted from them is relatively harmless, even for people who regularly fly or regularly go through metal detectors.
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The Earth's atmosphere stops most Gamma Rays. It is "as thick to gamma-rays as a twelve-foot thick plate of aluminum". The Gamma Rays that make it to our atmosphere and impact another particle are absorbed. Secondary particles are produced in this interaction, and these particles can be more penetrating and damaging.
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Death rays Just as high doses of X-rays are typically lethal, so too would an explosion of gamma rays kill the average person. Gamma rays can knock electrons around like a bowling ball would bowling pins.
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Very high doses of radiation cause damage to human cells, as evidenced by skin burns, loss of hair, and increased incidence of cancer. Because high doses of radiation can cause cancer, it is therefore generally assumed that low doses may also cause cancer.
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Ultraviolet waves, X-rays and gamma rays are types of ionising radiation . They can add or remove electrons from molecules, producing electrically charged ions. Ionisation can have hazardous effects on the body: ... X-rays and gamma rays can cause the mutation of genes, which can lead to cancer.
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Gamma rays are the highest energy, highest frequency, and shortest wavelength waves in the electromagnetic spectrum. Gamma rays can be used to kill living organisms, sterilize medical equipment, and treat cancer.
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Gamma-rays. Gamma-rays have the smallest wavelengths and the most energy of any other wave in the electromagnetic spectrum. These waves are generated by radioactive atoms and in nuclear explosions. Gamma-rays can kill living cells, a fact which medicine uses to its advantage, using gamma-rays to kill cancerous cells.
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There is always a risk of damage to cells or tissue from being exposed to any amount of ionizing radiation. Over time, exposure to radiation may cause cancer and other health problems. But in most cases, the risk of getting cancer from being exposed to small amounts of radiation is small.
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Some examples of radiation include sunlight, radio waves, x-rays, heat, alpha, beta, gamma ionizing radiation, and infrared, just to name a few. Not all of these types of radiation are harmful, in fact, in moderation, most radiation will not pose a health risk.
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Gamma rays can be helpful as well as harmful (and are very unlikely to turn you into the Hulk). To destroy brain cancers and other problems, medical scientists sometimes use a "gamma ray knife." This consists of many beams of gamma rays focused on the cells that need to be destroyed.
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Gamma rays are strongly penetrating ionizing radiation. What that means is that they create charged radicals in any material they travel through. In thehuman body that means it causes mutations in DNA and damages cellular mechanisms. In large doses it is enough to kill cells and causeradiation poisoning.
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At high doses, ionizing radiation can cause immediate damage to a person's body, including radiation sickness and death. Ionizing radiation is also a carcinogen, even at low doses; it causes cancer primarily because it damages DNA.
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Most forms of EMR can be dangerous; however the most dangerous form of Electromagnetic radiation has the most energy. This radiation is called gamma rays. Gamma rays are emitted by the nucleus of an atom and can go through 6 feet of concrete, as well as damage your DNA!