http://www.ck12.org Chapter 3. Chemical Interactions
destruction of blood cells, and loss of hair. To learn more about the harmful health effects of radiation, go to this
URL: http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=7359819n.
MEDIA
Click image to the left for use the URL below.
URL: http://www.ck12.org/flx/render/embeddedobject/117717Nonliving things can also be damaged by radiation. For example, high levels of radiation can weaken metals by
removing electrons. This is a problem in nuclear power plants and space vehicles because they are exposed to very
high levels of radiation.
Q:Can you tell when you are being exposed to radiation? For example, can you sense radon in the air?
A:Radiation can’t be detected with the senses. This adds to its danger. However, there are other ways to detect it.
Detecting Radiation
You generally can’t see, smell, taste, hear, or feel radiation. Fortunately, there are devices such as Geiger counters
that can detect radiation. A Geiger counter, like the one pictured in theFigure3.107, contains atoms of a gas that is
ionized if it encounters radiation. When this happens, the gas atoms change to ions that can carry an electric current.
The current causes the Geiger counter to click. The faster the clicks occur, the higher the level of radiation. You can
see a video about the Geiger counter and how it was invented at the URL below.
FIGURE 3.107
Using Radiation
Despite its dangers, radioactivity has several uses. For example, it can be used to determine the ages of ancient
rocks and fossils. It can also be used as a source of power to generate electricity. Radioactivity can even be used
to diagnose and treat diseases, including cancer. Cancer cells grow rapidly and take up a lot of glucose for energy.