Ionizing radiation and effect on human health

Abstract

Ionizing radiation is a form of energy released by atoms in the form of electromagnetic waves such as gamma, x-rays or particles such as neutrons, beta or alpha. The disintegration of atoms is called radioactivity and the extra amount of energy released is a form of ionizing radiation. The elements that disintegrate and release ionizing radiation are called radionuclides. The measurement of the amount of a radionuclide present is expressed in a unit named Becquerel (Bq) and one becquerel is equivalent to one disintegration per second. The time required for the activity of a radionuclide to decrease by half of its initial value is called the half-life. The time it takes for one half of its atoms to disintegrate is called the half-life of a radioactive element. [excerpt]