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Intense thermal radiation at the hypocenter forms a nuclear fireball which, if the explosion is low enough in altitude, is often associated with a mushroom cloud. In a high-altitude burst where the density of the atmosphere is low, more energy is released as ionizing gamma radiation and X-rays than as an atmosphere-displacing shockwave.
Radiation damage is the effect of ionizing radiation on physical objects including non-living structural materials. It can be either detrimental or beneficial for materials. It can be either detrimental or beneficial for materials.
Radiation poisoning, also called "radiation sickness" or a "creeping dose", is a form of damage to organ tissue due to excessive exposure to ionizing radiation. The term is generally used to refer to acute problems caused by a large dosage of radiation in a short period, though this also has occurred with long-term exposure to low-level radiation.
Thomson deliberately exposed a finger to an X-ray tube over a period of time and suffered pain, swelling, and blistering. [16] Other effects, including ultraviolet rays and ozone, were sometimes blamed for the damage, [17] and many physicians still claimed that there were no effects from X-ray exposure at all. [16]
2007 ISO radioactivity danger symbol intended for IAEA Category 1, 2, and 3 sources defined as dangerous sources capable of causing death or serious injury [1]. This article lists notable civilian accidents involving radioactive materials or involving ionizing radiation from artificial sources such as x-ray tubes and particle accelerators.
The level of health risk is dependent on duration and the type and strength of irradiation. Penetrating radiation such as gamma rays, X-rays, neutrons or beta particles pose the greatest risk from an external source. Low penetrating radiation such as alpha particles have a low external risk due to the shielding effect of the top layers of skin.
Alpha radiation is dangerous when alpha-emitting radioisotopes are inhaled or ingested (breathed or swallowed). This brings the radioisotope close enough to sensitive live tissue for the alpha radiation to damage cells. Per unit of energy, alpha particles are at least 20 times more effective at cell-damage than gamma rays and X-rays.
Extreme ultraviolet and higher frequencies, such as X-rays or gamma rays are ionizing, and these pose their own special hazards: see radiation poisoning. The field strength of electromagnetic radiation is measured in volts per meter (V/m). [2]