Chapter 2.1, Problem 1CSC

Unstable Atoms Unleashed

Because exposure to radioactivity can cause cancer, Japanese authorities have performed regular cancer screenings on hundreds of thousands of children exposed to radioactivity by the Fukushima power plant disaster. Fortunately, recent surveys have found no evidence of increased cancer rates. But months after the meltdown, engineers at the Fukushima power plant—using specialized cameras located outside the plant—discovered hot spots of radiation so intense that a person exposed for an hour would be dead within a few weeks. How could death come so fast? Extremely high doses of radia­tion damage DNA and other biological molecules so badly that cells—particularly those that divide rapidly—can no longer func­tion. Skin cells are destroyed. Cells lining the stomach and intestine break down, causing nausea and vomiting. Bone marrow, where blood cells and platelets are produced, is destroyed. Lack of white blood cells allows infections to flourish. and the loss of platelets crucial for blood clotting leads to internal bleeding. Fortunately, radioactive substances such as those released by the Fukushima disaster are rare in nature. Why do most elements remain stable?