Textbook Problem

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Read the box What if... “X-Rays-Dangerous or Helpful?" in this chapter. Like X-rays, gamma rays are used in medicine in both diagnosis and treatment. One of their uses is in cancer therapy to irradiate and destroy tumors. However, the dose usually required is fairly high, so high that it increases the risk of future cancers by about 1%. Explain why this is justified.

Interpretation Introduction

Interpretation:

Whether the use of X-rays for treating cancerous cells or tumors is worth taking the risk or not is to be explained.

Concept Introduction:

X-rays are the types of electromagnetic radiation that have the wavelength ranging from $0.01-10\text{ nm}$ and the energy ranging from $100\text{ ev}-100\text{ kev}$.

They have high penetration power and can penetrate through any opaque object.

Due to their ability to penetrate through any object, they are used for various testing and evaluating applications or techniques.

Explanation of Solution

In case of medically prescribed X-rays, it is worth taking the risk. Small doses of X-rays can destroy the cancerous cells and help treating the tumor, because the risk is quite negligible...