The interaction of radiation with matter has both positive and negative consequences. Discuss briefly the hazards of radiation and the way that radiation can be used in medicine.

Interpretation:

The hazards of radiation and the way that radiation can be used in medicine have to be discussed.

Concept Introduction: Radiation refers to the energy travelling through space in the form of waves (or) particles. Depending on the energy of these particles it constitutes ionizing and non-ionizing radiation.

• Positive effects of radiation:

Radiation provides merits in every field and sector.

Huge x-rays benefits:

Ionizing radiation’s property of ionizing atoms provides numerous advantages to the medical practitioners. Larger and smaller atoms have distinct potential to absorb these ionized atoms. For example, in a human body, the bone and soft tissues have different x-rays absorption quantity. The absorption difference helps physicians to examine human body structure. Doctors use x-rays to detect cancers and broken bones, which blocks such radiations.

Health and medicine advantages:

Radiation finds use in the diagnosis, treatment, and research applications. It stimulates the immune system, prevents oxidative DNA damage, and suppresses cancer. Beta particle, which releases when a neutron decays into a proton in a nucleus, is capable of penetrating into the human body. Due to this favourable characteristic, beta radiation assists radiotherapy to treat tumours. Also, doctors are able to find out many diseases by injecting radioactive material into the body.

In communication area:

Navigation system utilizes radio waves and other signals to detect various vehicles, vessels, and obstacles from one point to another. The wireless communication through cell phones is a boon provided by radiations to the humanity and human beings, in particular.

Assist research:

To determine the ages of various ancient organisms, researchers employ a process called radiocarbon dating that uses radiations to measure the amount of radioactive carbon in the remains of an organism. And radiometric dating calculates the age of rocks with the help of radiations, which compare radioactive isotopes within the material. Radiations also find application in neutron activation analysis, which determines the composition of a material.

Reduce epidemics:

Radiation enhances mutation and helps in producing new species...