18 Aug
2004
18 Aug
'04
11:25 p.m.
Am 18 Aug 2004 23:31 meinte Patrick Finnegan:
On Wednesday 18 August 2004 22:19, der Mouse wrote:
> I suspect it also has something to do with the effects. If a gamma
> ray _is_ absorbed, the nature of the damage it does is different from
> ditto for an alpha particle (I don't know enough about the details of
> either to say much more, but I do know they're quite fundamentally
> different).
The main difference is that gamma radiation, being
electromagnetic waves
can travel farther through/into objects before striking something and
dumping their energy (and ionizing the atom). Alpha radiation tends to
travel a shorter distance before striking something because of its MUCH
larger mass (essentially ionized helium), and its inherent positive
charge.
Thinking of that, tTony might have been wron in his general
assumption that weak _may_ be more dangerous... I remember
some lessons about how Alpha particles are already cought
to most extend by the uppermost two skin layers so and
therfore, if not taken in exteme doses, can be ignored
because of the continous sheding we do.
Now, if you swallow it, the nature works different. Of course,
again the particles get stoped withing a short distance. The
atoms/molecules that stop it may get later on absorbed and
cause a few problems. Still, we also have protection on the
inside. It get's realy tricky if the alpa emiter is some
element or part of a molecule that oir digestive system allows
to pass thru ... then it get's full 'access'.
Gruss
H.
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