Radiation Effects on Cells Slide 6 of 16

Go to slide: 1: Radiation Effects and Risks 2: Radiation Effects on Water 3: Radiation Effects on Water 4: Cell Structure 5: Radiation Effects on Cells 6: Radiation Effects on Cells 7: Radiation Damage and the Results 8: Cell Radiosensitivity 9: General Order of Cell Radiosensitivity 10: Limits of Exposure 11: Radiation Effects 12: Acute Radiation Syndrome 13: Risk Estimate 14: What are the chances? 15: Relative Risk 16: Doses from Various Sources

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Indirect effects of radiation occur with free radical production in the cell. This phenomenon is not dose dependent and can occur with one "hit" by one passing ray. For two reasons it is most likely that the indirect effects of radiation will occur more often than direct effects: 1. the human body is composed of 80% water therefore the odds are in favor of indirect effects and 2. the doses necessary to create direct effects are highly unusual for general public exposure, they are highly unusual for radiation worker exposures!