| Radiation Hazards | | Nuclear reactions emit a, b and g radiations and neutrons. These radiations can damage and destroy living cells. The radiations can cause severe burns. They can also produce mutations in organic molecules. Radiations cause two types of damages. | | Pathological damages: | | If an organism is exposed to a high dose of radiation, it may die. Such damage is called pathological damage. | | Genetic damage: | | If an organism is exposed to a high dose of radiation, this causes damage to genes; but its effects are observed in the next generation of the organisms. This is known as mutation. The dropping of atom bombs on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in World War II led to such damage in the next generation. | | Previous | Next |
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