Gamma Rays

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First of all what is a Gamma Ray? A gamma ray is a high energy ionized radiation (EPA). Gamma photons have about 10,000 times more energy as photons (EPA). Along with that gamma rays wavelengths are so short they have to be measured in nanometers (EPA). They also are the strongest type of radiation which makes them the most dangerous. How are Gamma rays dangerous? A gamma-ray photon has enough energy to damage atoms in your body and make them radioactive (Christian, Eric). Gamma ray radiation also causes murderous burn, breast and a lung and thyroid cancer, genetics illnesses (Asiye, Gul). But when did we even discover gamma rays? In 1896 Henri Becquerel, a French Physicist, discovered gamma rays, he called it metallic phosphorescence (EPA). Becquerel had found gamma radiation being emitted by radium (EPA).
There is quite a bit of history involving gamma ray radiation. We have learned that gamma rays that come from space are mostly absorbed by Earth's atmosphere, which means that gamma ray astronomy couldn’t be developed until we could study it from the outside (Mattson, Barbra). The first gamma ray telescope was made and sent into space in 1961, as it turns out it picked up less than 100 gamma ray photons that seemed to be coming from all directions in the universe (Mattson, Barbra). The first successful detection of gamma ray radiation in space was in 1967 by the gamma ray detector aboard the OSO-3 satellite, it detected 621 dealings with gamma rays (Mattson, Barbra). Later on the SAS-2 and COS-B satellites provided more gamma ray radiation data (Mattson, Barbra). The data from these satellites confirmed earlier data found on the gamma rays background, it also produced the first detailed map of the sky at gamma ray wave le...

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...mma-Rays radiation(Can Lasers). They claim it blocks gamma ray radiation 99% of the time versus using lead or concrete blocks to protect us from gamma ray radiation.
In conclusion, gamma rays, I have learned, are dangerous but sometimes useful. There has been a great deal of research put into studying gamma rays and gamma ray radiation. Gamma rays have a tremendous amount of energy and their wave lengths are very small. I would have never thought there was something like gamma rays that could cause cancers.

Works Cited

Christian,Eric. “Ask An Astrophysicist”. NASA’s Imagine the Universe. NASA.1998. Web. 13 Nov 2013.
EPA. “Radiation Protection”. US Environmental Protection Agency. EPA. 2013. Web. 13 Nov 2013.
Packham, Brad. Personal Interview. 13 Nov 2013
Asyie, Gul. “Hybrid Polymer Gamma Ray Shielding Material”. Can Lasers A.S. Can Lasers A.S. Web. 13 Nov 2013.

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