how does radiation work and why is it dangerous?
In: Physics
Radiation is pretty much anything that is *radiated* away from a source. In common use it usually refers to one of two things:
Electromagnetic radiation. This is light, radio waves, x-rays, gamma rays, etc. All of this carries energy, so all of it can cook a person. The danger from being cooked by radiation is usually pretty small, but touching a live radio tower or getting hit by an extremely strong laser can cause burns.
Ionizing radiation. Some EM radiation can be ionizing, but not all of it. Ionizing radiation is radiation with enough energy in it that it can break electrons from atoms. This destroys molecules, so it breaks apart all of the microscopic machinery in your cells. It breaks apart tons of random bits in your cells. Some ionizing radiation stops at your skin and causes burn-like symptoms. That’s what a sunburn is. Other ionizing radiation like neutrons or gamma radiation can punch all the way through your body and cause more widespread damage.
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