How are radioactive wastes produced, and what are the associated hazards?
What will be an ideal response?
Radioactive emissions are the direct products of fission; they "are generally unstable isotopes of their respective elements." The "unstable isotopes become stable by ejecting subatomic particles (alpha particles, beta particles, and neutrons), or high-energy radiation (gamma rays), or both."
Exposure to radiation increases the risk of cancer. Low doses of radiation may damage DNA. Some people argue that there are doses of radiation below which there would be no adverse effect because of the DNA repair mechanisms that exist. Others argue that no safe level of exposure exists. High doses of radiation can block cell division, resulting in death.
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Nuclear wastes are stored both at the sites of power plants and at special facilities maintained by the Department of Energy. What is the approximate amount of waste stored on site at power plants?
A) 500 metric tons B) 5000 metric tons C) 50,000 metric tons D) 500,000 metric tons
What are the different types of water masses? What is the most distinctive water mass? Give the
characteristics and behaviors of that water mass. What will be an ideal response?
Which of the following statements is true with respect to layered intrusions?
A. form in layered sedimentary rocks B. form when magma is injected between layers within the crust C. form during high pressure metamorphic events D. form when crystals settle in a magma chamber E. all of the answers listed here
The proper sequence of events in building a protein from a gene is
A. translation, transcription, replication. B. replication, transcription, translation. C. transcription, translation. D. translation, transcription.