how does nuclear radiation affect the environment

nuclear danger image by dpaint from Fotolia.com. The origin and existence of life on Earth owe to the presence of radiations that triggered photochemical transformations for sustainable life forms. If a nuclear power plant accident occurs, the environment and surrounding people could be exposed to high levels of radiation. Whereas sulfate particles from a volcano might warm the air of the upper atmosphere by a couple degrees, black carbon absorbs heat from the sun and can lead to much more atmospheric warming. Being exposed to high amounts of radiation for an extended period of time will cause humans to experience radiation sickness. Thermal radiation may make fire a collateral effect of the use of surface burst, airburst, or shallow-penetrating nuclear weapons. Nuclear energy has been proposed as an answer to the need for a clean energy source as opposed to CO2-producing plants. Nuclear energy has been proposed as an answer to the need for a clean energy source as opposed to CO2-producing plants. Fallout is the condition following a nuclear bomb or reactor blowing up when radioactive particles and gases fall from and spread throughout the atmosphere. Radiation can cause dramatic reductions in antioxidants, making the birds that travel farthest the most vulnerable to nuclear contamination. Environmental radiation. The environmental impact of nuclear power results from the nuclear fuel cycle, operation, and the effects of nuclear accidents. As radioactive material decays, or breaks down, the energy released into the environment has two ways of harming a body that is exposed to it, Higley said. In the event of an accident, the radioactive waste could possibly leak. The harm that they can cause depends on the radioactive elements and their half time function (the time needed for their concentration to be reduced to half due to radioactive decay processes). Radioactive materials are those materials or elements that emit radiation, thus they are not stable and get transformed into other radioactive or non-radioactive materials. However, nuclear wastes are difficult to manage and accidents -- and the threat of terrorism -- are serious concerns. It can directly kill cells, or it can cause mutations to DNA. Fish are inadvertently captured in the cooling system intake and killed. Nuclear power has been called a clean source of energy because the power plants do not release carbon dioxide. This system pulls water from the ocean or river and then returns the warmer water back to the source. Large amounts of carbon dioxide are emitted when power plants are built and maintained which may cause harm to the surrounding environment. Kivi has authored educational textbooks, patient health care pamphlets, animal husbandry guides, outdoor survival manuals and was a contributing writer for two books in the Uncle John’s Bathroom Reader Series. A particular danger in fallout is that because radioactive particles and gases can be carried be winds as they descend to the earth, such materials can be spread across a vast range of land, exposing many pe… There is a differing of opinion among scientists over the effects caused by constant low levels of radiation. Nuclear energy is not necessarily a clean energy source. Second, after the water is used to cool the power plant, it is returned to the ocean or river. But that’s far from how radiation affects animals, studies show. And the number of countries which are considering introducing nuclear energy is growing steadily. Currently, much of the radioactive waste from nuclear power plants has been stored at the power plant. Mousseau and Moller are especially interested in migrating birds, which use enormous amounts of antioxidants during their annual journeys between summer and winter habitats. One of the largest damaging effects over the next few weeks were the reproductive tissues of the plants. Radiation damages DNA, especially as it assembles in dividing cells. Natural radioactive sources in the soil, water and air contribute to our exposure to ionizing radiation, as well as man-made sources resulting from mining and use of naturally radioactive materials in power generation, nuclear medicine, consumer products, military and industrial applications. Nuclear weapons instantly kill most life forms in the target zone. All of these materials have negative impacts on the environment and often find their way into oceans, rivers and soil harming wildlife living local to the production of the weaponry.Unlike conventional bombs, the power of nuclear weapons comes from thermal and ionizing r… Even sunlight, the most essential radiation of all, can be harmful in excessive amounts. Symptoms of radiation sickness can include headaches, nausea, fevers as well as the possibility of obtaining cancer or causing severe damage to ones DNA. Nuclear energy produces radioactive waste A major environmental concern related to nuclear power is the creation of radioactive wastes such as uranium mill tailings, spent (used) reactor fuel, and other radioactive wastes.

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