From my understanding, nuclear fallout happens when dust or debris becomes irradiated. But does this include the air molecules even with the absence of dust?
And lastly, if you had some, say sand that was contaminated by fallout, how does the radiation emitted work? Would it be similar to heat? In the sense the closer you are to the sand you would feel more heat? I get really confused with why it’s just dust and debris, and how far they can emit radiation.
Thank you kindly in advance 🙂
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The fallout is radioactive particles. The particles are unstable isotopes used in weapons and nuclear reactors that spontaneously break down and emit radiation.
The radiation is not heat or perceived, but is instead high-speed subatomic particles. The subatomic particles are called ionizing radiation because they can rip apart the molecules of your cells and DNA, causing mutations and cancer.
Especially dangerous is dusts that can be ingested. Then the radioactive material is in your body for a very long time, causing continued lifetime damage.
Extreme exposure can give radiation burns, not heat, but the cells of your body being destroyed.
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