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quaker bill

(8,264 posts)
29. The energy (radiation) moves at the speed of light
Mon Apr 13, 2015, 07:11 AM
Apr 2015

So it is out of your body the very instant it is produced. The interesting bit is whether it strikes something on the way out.

Energy is not a constant. As explained previously, an atom functions on the level of chemistry all the time, but releases radiation once, in an instant during decay. So but for all except an single instant in say 30 years, the individual atom is radiologically inert.

Now as hard as it is to believe, on the atomic scale, your body is only very slightly different than empty space. The chances of gamma ray hitting something are quite low. Because alpha particles are a bit bigger, the chances they will hit something are larger.

An atom of cesium is toxic to one molecule of something in your body. Odds are +/- 100% that you have at least one of every type of atom in your body somewhere. In that 137 grams (roughly 0.25 pounds) of cesium 137 contains 6.022 * 10^22 atoms and in that most of the atoms composing your body are lighter than cesium, your body probably contains something between 1 * 10^25 to 1*10^26 atoms (bunches and bunches). When you look through that many atoms, pretty much everything is going to be there every time.

While the chances of hitting something are quite low, even lower are the chances of hitting something that matters. Much of your body is water and hitting a water molecule might ionize it, but a considerable portion of the water in your body is ionized all the time (which is why it has a pH). Ionizing an additional molecule would not be detectable.

If it happens instead to hit a bit of DNA or RNA, depending on where, a cancer could arise. Most defects in DNA will kill the cell, but some cause cancer. This is a very low probability event, but given exposure to enough radiation, it will happen.

Recommendations

0 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

Finally RobertEarl Apr 2015 #1
I had to clean some of it off the windows and cars over past couple days- snooper2 Apr 2015 #2
You too? zappaman Apr 2015 #3
Don't eat the yellow snow RobertEarl Apr 2015 #4
If the snow is yellow, it aint from radiation NickB79 Apr 2015 #7
Glad you brought that up RobertEarl Apr 2015 #10
Really? FBaggins Apr 2015 #5
My estimate? RobertEarl Apr 2015 #6
That's not an answer FBaggins Apr 2015 #8
You think corium came out in that hydrogen explosion? nt Bonobo Apr 2015 #9
What I think RobertEarl Apr 2015 #11
Care to try again? FBaggins Apr 2015 #13
No, you didn't. Yes, you did. FBaggins! RobertEarl Apr 2015 #15
You actually think electrolysis = "water splits into hydrogen and oxygen when it gets hot"? FBaggins Apr 2015 #16
Why yes water does split into hydrogen and oxygen RobertEarl Apr 2015 #18
Most likely a zirconium fire quaker bill Apr 2015 #19
Yes, thanks RobertEarl Apr 2015 #20
Nope. Not from heat it doesn't. FBaggins Apr 2015 #21
That sure is ugly RobertEarl Apr 2015 #22
The precise mechanism is barely relevant quaker bill Apr 2015 #23
Thanks for that info, QB RobertEarl Apr 2015 #25
The energy (radiation) moves at the speed of light quaker bill Apr 2015 #29
Actually... it's entirely relevant. FBaggins Apr 2015 #31
More so than you realize. But it's also hilarious. FBaggins Apr 2015 #30
The technology that will be developed to deal with this obxhead Apr 2015 #12
I have a feeling.. RobertEarl Apr 2015 #28
''However, the robot stopped functioning before completing the day's planned inspection.'' Octafish Apr 2015 #14
Tepco doesn't know why... so what's your theory? FBaggins Apr 2015 #17
Poor Design? Ask TEPCO. Octafish Apr 2015 #24
You've obviously been reading too many of RobertEarl's imaginings FBaggins Apr 2015 #33
Also worth noting that "choked" is a stretch. FBaggins Apr 2015 #34
They tried Omaha Steve Apr 2015 #26
The electronics are workin fine FBaggins Apr 2015 #32
I wish my grandfather were still alive davidpdx Apr 2015 #27
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