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risom risom
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11 years ago
Radiation exposure isn't exactly something that can washed off, but they still use soap and water to people exposed by the blasts in Japan.  And I just read that the American Military that was sent to help flew back to washington and were found to have been exposed to the equivalent of 1 months normal radiation, so they were... washed with soap and water. wtf?  My chemistry teacher said that that was just something that they do to make the people feel better.  I can't tell if she was joking or not.
So...  lets say a person was near a radiation blast but no airborn particles landed on their skin. (I know this is not possible, but hypothetically speaking).  Wouldn't they still die of radiation poisoning because the radiation is like a wave of light that moves through the air?
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#1
11 years ago
Soap and water does little against the radiation exposure. However, the radioactive material can also be airborne, and if this is left on the skin, more exposure can happen. For this reason, the exposed areas are washed, to remove the airborne pollutants.

Washing the area can also remove some of the outer skin cells, where most of the radiation will have struck. This can reduce the overall impact as well. It is not the only treatment exposed people should receive, but as a preliminary treatment, it works fine.
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leftyfish21leftyfish21
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11 years ago
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#3
11 years ago
There are 3 types of radiation, alpha which is the size of a helium nucleus, beta which is the size of an electron and gamma rays. The first 2 particles can be washed off. The alpha can not penetrate paper. They would hurt you if you ingested them. Beta can burn the skin but can not go through aluminum foil.Gamma is stopped by lead or 6 feet of concrete. That can not be washed off. Also materials which have been mad radioactive can be washed off. When you see a mushroom cloud, there is much dust and radioactive elements in it. These will settle and come down sooner if it rains.

There is a timing error in your story. I doubt they flew back to Washington and then were washed. It probably happened in Japan or on a ship. That is the protocol. The gamma is the wave of energy.
wrote...
#4
11 years ago
Soap and water would only wash away any particles, and you can certainly still get radiation sickness, but why not do it to remove what you can?  Nobody's saying it's a cure-all.
wrote...
#5
11 years ago
Most contamination actually comes from radioactive dust that either lands on the skin or gets inhaled.  This makes washing pretty effective, and it's why a simple sealed suit and respirator (as opposed to a lead-lined suit) is so effective in contaminated areas.

You're right, though, that if you were exposed to a burst of radiation, and didn't wind up with any particles on your skin, then washing would do nothing.  It's why you don't need to go through decontamination if you're undergoing radiation therapy for cancer - the radiation has come and gone, and there's nothing stuck on or in the body that's still giving off radiation.

Of course, if you bombard an object with enough radiation, it can become radioactive itself.  It most easily happens to metals, but it can happen to living tissue.  Death by radiation poisoning is extremely quick at that level, though.
wrote...
#6
11 years ago
radioactive particles of dust, known as "fallout" because they fall out of the clouds of dust or steam produced, stick to the skin and keep on emitting radiation

as to your additional question, yes. a blast of radiation, a wave or a ray can kill you. This isn't technically "poisoning" but "exposure".... though for all practical purposes, lets face it... dead is dead.

you can be poisoned without being exposed, you can be exposed with out being poisoned.... most fatalities have been a combination of both.
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