Gamma Rays Essay, Research Paper

Gamma Rays are Waves on the electromagnetic Spectrum that have a

Wavelength of 10 or Higher and 11 down. Gamma Rays are produced in labs

through the process of nuclear collision and also through the artificial

Radioactivity that accompanies these interactions. The high energy nuclei

needed for the collisions are accelerated by such devices such as the

Cyclotron and synchrotron.

There are also many uses for Gamma rays in Medicine. Gamma Rays

are used in medicine to kill and treat certain types of cancers and tumors.

Gamma rays passing through the tissue of the body produce ionization in the

tissue. Gamma rays can harm the cells in our body. The rays can also detect

brain and Cardiovascular Abnormalities. These are some of the many uses of

Gamma Rays in Medicine.

Gamma Rays are also Used a great deal in modern day industries.

Gamma Rays can be used to examine metallic castings or welds in oil

pipelines for weak points. The rays pass through the metal and darken a

photographic film at places opposite weak points. In industry, Gamma rays

are also used for detecting internal defects in metal castings and in welded

structures. Gamma rays are used to kill pesticides and bugs in food. Gamma

rays are also used in nuclear reactors and atomic bombs.

Gamma rays are often used in the food industry. The radioisotopes

preserve foods. Although the rays never come in contact with the food, Beta

radiation kills various organisms such as bacteria, yeast, and insects. Gamma

rays are sometimes used in science. They are used to detect Beryllium. They

also played a very important role in the development of the atomic bomb.

Gamma Rays can be very dangerous to use or be in contact with.

Gamma rays bombard our bodies constantly. They come from the naturally

radioactive materials in rocks and soil. We take some of these materials into

our bodies from the air we breath and the water we drink. Gamma rays

passing through our bodies produce ionization in the tissue. High levels of

gamma Radiation can produce ionization of the tissue and cause skin cancer.

There are many ways in which we can protect ourselves from these

harmful affects Protection from gamma rays can be obtained Using a sheet of

iron that is a 1/2 inch thick. This kind of shielding will block only 50% of 1

million electron volts of Gamma rays. We can also protect ourselves from

gamma rays with 4 inches of water. Lead provides the most protection from

gamma rays. A 1/4 of an inch absorbs all the gamma ray exposure.

Many Gamma rays also come from outer space in a few major bursts

the sun produces gamma rays with energies up to one million electron volts.

The interaction of high energy electrons, Protons, and Nuclei of the sun, emit

the rays. Gamma rays can also come from the other stars in space, Through

the creation and death of the stars along with the creation of solar flares.

Astronomers have studied gamma rays to gain a better understanding of the

astronomical process. Gamma rays are a form of Electromagnetic radiation

similar to X-rays. Gamma rays carry millions of electron volts. As gamma

rays pass through matter, They lose energy, But at the same time Knock

electrons loose from the atom which ionizes them. Uranium and other

naturally occurring radioactive elements, which emit alpha and beta particles

from their nuclei which transforming into new elements, also emit gamma

rays.

Long before experiments gamma rays emitted by cosmic sources,

scientists had known that the universe should be producing such photons.

Hard work by several brilliant scientists had shown that a number of different

processes which were occurring in the universe would result in gamma ray

emissions. These processes included cosmic ray interactions with interstellar

gases, supernova explosions, and interactions of energetic electrons with

magnetic fields. In the 1960 s we finally developed thew ability to actually

detect these emissions and we have been looking at them ever since.