The definition and meaning of Radiation
In physics, Radiation is the emission of energy and waves or atomic and subatomic particles through space or through a material. It can be natural (e.g. radiation from sun) or man-made (e.g. radiation from a cell phone or computer). It was first discovered over a century ago by the scientist Wilhelm Röntgen in 1895, after he made an experiment with a cathode tube and saw the screen in front of it glowing after covering the tube – hence the name of “X-rays” was given to the rays provoking the phenomenon, as the invisible rays were unknown to the scientist.
Radiation comes in different forms, for instance, gamma rays and X rays are photons which transfer energy in a way that creates ionization. Other types of photons are ultraviolet radiation, infrared or microwaves, but they do not correspond to the ionizing radiation type.
The use of Radiation Physics
Educational institutions all over the world use Radiation Physics in their experiments, research projects and laboratory work with the aim to discover more possibilities of use of Radiation. It is used in many fields and study areas, such as industry, education and research and especially medicine. The study of radiation and the researches on it has helped engineers and doctors combine their knowledge to build innovative tools and machines to discover diseases faster and easier. If the Radiation Physics is your study subject at your university – all this information can be a good essay help for you.
Considering the first example provided, the X rays, it is now well-known that this is one of the biggest innovations now used worldwide in every hospital and clinic to image the human body. Besides the ability to detect and prevent diseases, doctors also use the X-ray machine to treat the affected areas from lupus and nervous diseases and eliminate the cancerous tissues. Such situations are the results of use of nuclear medicine. Dentists also use radiation to spot dental problems in a fast and painless way.
Another form of imaging using based on Radiation Physics is the Magnetic Resonance – a low-energy type of radiation which uses radio frequency which is known for being a safer type of imaging the human body, as there are no risks that it can damage the internal tissues. It is mostly used for imaging vessels for the detection of cardiovascular diseases.
The discovery of Radiation in 1895 is for sure one of the most important events which lead the physicians to new opportunities and doctors to new ways of helping people. With the technology and innovations of the present day, we are now using smaller and smarter machines that can produce high-quality images in almost no time in a painless way. These improvements in the advanced use of radiation physics helped millions of people with health problems – as the specialists use nuclear medicine to diagnose conditions in internal organs of the human body, such as the pancreas, thyroid, brain, etc.
There are also many scientists who proved that radiation (especially the man-made) is very dangerous to your health, and while in hospitals it is used to treat a brain tumour for example, it can also lead the patient to brain tumour if the patient is exposed to too much radiation in his life (from gadgets for instance). But Dr Rebecca Smith‐BindmanIs’ opinion on this is that is is almost impossible to calculate how much radiation one can “handle” to stay healthy and keep the risk low.