The purpose of this research project is to create a resource regarding common forms of radiation found in everyday life. The report dives into ionizing and non-ionizing radiation and what forms that we may encounter. Explores the dangers and benefits of ionizing radiation and how humans have utilized that energy to do things like treat diseases and develop more resilient agriculture. Discusses non-ionizing radiation and how humans use it to communicate, cook, and thrive.
This report expands on six sources of radiation - light from our Sun, microwave ovens, radio signals, radiation in medicine, atomic radiation from nuclear weapons, and cosmic radiation from space. The intention behind writing this report is to understand how radiation overall affects us as humans, inspired by my partner’s recent treatment for cancer.
Research into the subject of radiation produced many surprises - mostly that radiation is not solely an insidious energy with the potential to mutate cells and cause harm to living tissue. Radiation is a process of transferring energy from a source to something else, and that process takes many forms that we interact with every day. I aim to make this paper approachable for everyone, not just STEM majors, and invite readers to learn with me about this process and untangle misconceptions around it.