Radiation Schmadiation

[physicist No.6732431]

Ask an expert working in radiation safety anything!

In the mean time I'll be sharing random radiation factoids to entertain myself and inform.

[Anonymous No.6732435]

>>6732431
How do I into super powers?

[noko No.6732448]

>>6732435
this plz

[Anonymous No.6732450]

What's the largest acute dose you've ever been exposed to? What was the source? Whats your favorite type of radiation? What type of environment do you work in?

[Anonymous No.6732453]

>>6732431
Where does Stefan's equation come from?

[Anonymous No.6732457]

>>6732435
>find large sample of P0-210
>ingest
>die
>believe in reincarnation
>hope you get lucky and are reincarnated with super powers
>repeat until you have said powers

[physicist No.6732458]

>>6732435

You don't.

Fun fact: There's no real difference between x-rays and gamma rays. X-rays are high energy photons that come from electron's. Gamma rays are high energy photons from other sources (typically nuclei).

So if Bruce Banner were actually exposed to large amounts of gamma rays, he would die a horribly painful death

[Anonymous No.6732459]

>>6732431
when was the last time you got laid fagdick

[Anonymous No.6732460]

>>6732457
*Po-210

[Anonymous No.6732463]

>>6732431
what do you do at work?

[physicist No.6732466]

>>6732450
Technically speaking probably about 2 mSv effective radiation dose during a head CT.

Favorite type of radiation? Positrons are pretty fucking cool being anti-matter and whatnot.

I work as a medical physicist providing radiation safety services to hospitals, teach radiologic technologists, provide consults for those undergoing radiation therapy. I also test every piece of equipment that creates a medical image in a hospital.

Pays very well for any budding physicists looking to utilize physics and actually make a decent buck.

[physicist No.6732468]

>>6732453

I have no idea

[physicist No.6732471]

>>6732459

BJ a few hours ago count?

[Anonymous No.6732474]

>>6732431

Can you help me with my nuclear engineering homework. I've been procrastinating for a long time

[Anonymous No.6732476]

>>6732474
where you go to school nigga, fellow nuke here

[Anonymous No.6732478]

>>6732466
>Pays very well for any budding physicists looking to utilize physics and actually make a decent buck.

How hard would it be for an engineer to become a medical physicist? I've worked in medical imaging research for a few internships (though knowledge-wise I know nothing in depth about merical imaging)

[physicist No.6732480]

The probability of a person getting cancer in their lifetime is approximately 45%.

A conservative estimate of your cancer risk after getting a chest x-ray increases this risk to 45.00001%.

The medical benefits of a medically necessary radiological exam will always outweigh the potential cancer risks.

[Anonymous No.6732483]

>>6732476

NC State, friendo

[physicist No.6732484]

>>6732476
Duke University

[Anonymous No.6732486]

>>6732471
okay when was the last time you werent gay faggot

[physicist No.6732489]

>>6732478
Unfortunately, the requirements have been increasing.

As of right now you need a masters degree in an accredited medical physics program. Then there's a 2 year residency. Then you get board certified while you work.

Used to be a lot easier to enter the field sideways, but not so much anymore.

[Anonymous No.6732490]

>>6732483
I'm pretty sure we just had a prof from NC State transfer here, I'm at Purdue btw. neutronics guy I think

[physicist No.6732491]

>>6732486

Haha, well played. I should have been more specific.

I received oral sex from my (born female) wife with whom I have conceived a child.

[Anonymous No.6732496]

How old are you? I guess 46.

[Anonymous No.6732497]

>>6732489
>masters + 2 year residency
im 26 so thats not happenin'
ah well

[physicist No.6732498]

Everyone every day is being exposed to natural sources of radiation (background radiation). Mostly radon gas from the ground and cosmic rays from outer space.

In fact. You receive approximately 30 chest x-rays / year worth of background radiation.

[physicist No.6732500]

>>6732496
Early 30s'

[Anonymous No.6732502]

>>6732498
and if you smoke, your exposure increases over 20-fold

[physicist No.6732504]

Residents of Florida receive twice the amount of natural background radiation than residents of Denver, Colorado. Why?

Residents of Denver, Colorado are closer to outer space and have less atmosphere to absorb incoming cosmic rays. There's also no difference in cancer incidence between these to places.

[Anonymous No.6732508]

>>6732480
it also take roughly 10 years for you to increase your risk of cancer after an acute dose, before that, there is no increased risk of cancer

[physicist No.6732512]

>>6732502

Your radiation intake does increase if you smoke cigarettes. I'm not sure what fold increase above background.

Certain plants preferentially absorb elements that have a higher natural incidence of radioactivity (polonium-210 and lead-210).

All bananas have some radioactive potassium. And Brazil nuts have the highest concentrations of radioactive material of any food.

[Anonymous No.6732519]

>>6732512
a person that smokes roughly between 1 and 2 packs a day will receive about 8000 mRem from it I believe

[Anonymous No.6732521]

>>6732519
annually

[physicist No.6732525]

>>6732508
>it also take roughly 10 years for you to increase your risk of cancer after an acute dose, before that, there is no increased risk of cancer

Generally true. It depends on what type of cancer. Leukemias occur very quickly, while solid tumor cancers can occur with a 10-20 year lag. Has to due with cell turnover rates.

[Anonymous No.6732531]

How much can a 3 tesla field deflect a beta particle and what % of its energy will be released as a gamma ray

[physicist No.6732537]

>>6732531

It depends on the beta particle's initial speed, orientation with the magnetic field, and the amount of time spent in the field.

[Anonymous No.6732539]

>>6732531
>>6732531
depends on the energy of the beta, and it would be an x-ray. 3 T is a pretty strong field, so it might just start following the path of the field lines

[Anonymous No.6732550]

Radiologist here. Picture related.

[physicist No.6732553]

Tangentially related to radiation, but entertaining and informative.

MRI's (magnetic resonance imaging machines) generate large magnetic fields in order to image patients. They're typical strength is about 1.5 Tesla. A junk yard magnet that picks up cars is about 1.0 Tesla. This is why you don't bring anything remotely ferromagnetic into an MRI room.

[Anonymous No.6732556]

>>6732431
I know how to materialize objects OP and can help you develop your skill to greater heights to materialize even more gold. I am being magically attacked and prevented from posting on /x/ though so you may need to try to talk to me elsewhere as I can barely get any posts through onto here. Meet me on http://pastebin.com/kxCP6EUK

Please don't ignore this post, it might be the only one I get to make before this thread disappears or some other shit happens.

[physicist No.6732557]

>>6732550
Great xkcd comic.

Credit where credit is due: https://xkcd.com/radiation/

[Anonymous No.6732560]

>>6732553
the magnetic fields required to confine the plasma in a tokamak type fusion device is on the order of 5-15 Telsa

[Anonymous No.6732570]

Might you have any information on x rays produced via beta deflection

[Anonymous No.6732571]

>>6732570
google brem radiation

[physicist No.6732576]

Patients undergoing radiation therapy to treat cancer sometimes claim to feel warmth from the x-ray radiation. This is purely psychosomatic.

If you take the amount of radiation required to kill a human being and convert it all into heat energy, it would the equivalent to a sip of warm coffee.

[Anonymous No.6732578]

Is it true that the nuclear reactor field is about to be booming? I heard from my brother that all the first and second generation reactors are going to be going offline soon, and we'll be building 4th gens. Is that true? If I'm just starting college nowish, would nuclear engineering be a good field to get into, assuming it booms in about ten years?

[physicist No.6732581]

>>6732570

F = q * v x B

Where * is multiplication and x is cross product. Thus, a charged particle travelling parallel to the magnetic field will see no deflection, and maximum force will be felt when travelling perpendicular to the magnetic field.

[physicist No.6732586]

>>6732578
I honestly would be talking out of my ass if i claimed I knew the future of nuclear power. That being said, I'll opine anyway

Nuclear power is a huge hot button topic who's future is largely dependent on public opinion. Just look at post Fukishima Japan trying to get rid of all their nuclear power. It went terribly. So the future in my opinion is uncertain.

It's a shame, because the truth is per unit of energy produced, nuclear power kills fewer people than any other power source. This includes wind and solar power.

See: http://www.forbes.com/sites/jamesconca/2012/06/10/energys-deathprint-a-price-always-paid/

[Anonymous No.6732589]

>>6732586
I'm basically trying to decide between nuclear engineering and Astrophysics. I've basically got my options open and could go for either one.

[Anonymous No.6732591]

>>6732589
between the two def nuclear engr

[Anonymous No.6732598]

>>6732591
That's what I've been thinking. Astrophysics is cool but nuclear energy looks to be a more viable career.

[physicist No.6732602]

>>6732589

Nuclear engineering vs Astrophysics?

Depends on what you like. I really liked quantum mechanics and theoretical physics, but I knew I just couldn't sit in a room and stare at a chalkboard all day, which is why I got into medical physics.

So the question you have to ask yourself is what kind of work will you actually enjoy? Nuclear engineering is more hands-on real world, astrophysics less so.

From a purely pragmatic point of view, I would think nuclear engineering provides a wider range of options and access to other fields. Don't like working at a nuclear power plant, you can work radiation safety as a health physicist almost anywhere, among other things.

I'm partial to medical physics because it's physics related, but you make a 6-figure salary.

[Anonymous No.6732606]

>>6732602
>Nuclear engineering is more hands-on real world
This'll probably be the cinch for me. I learned to weld in high school and I'm generally a mix between chalkboard and hands on, so it sounds good.

I imagine astrophysics is all math.

[physicist No.6732607]

>>6732497

A bit late, but residencies typically pay 45K/yr. Never too late.

[physicist No.6732613]

>>6732606
Ya, I went the hands-on route and settled with enjoying reading about all the cool astrophysics stuff that interested me as an undergrad.

[Anonymous No.6732615]

>>6732431

How do you feel about Frank Grimes?

[Anonymous No.6732620]

>>6732606
>>Nuclear engineering is more hands-on real world
>This'll probably be the cinch for me. I learned to weld in high school
its not gonna be anything like that, altho at least at my school there is a really cool materials lab but, its a lot of technical stuff. neutronics, fluid mechanics, heat transfer, materials science, radiation detection etc. the materials lab, fluids lab, and radiation detection/measurement labs are cool, but its a lot of calculation and design based work. I kinda want to work with fusion, advanced materials or health sciences, not 100% sure yet. not that there arent lots of cool hands on things you do in labs, especially the materials and radiation detection labs, but its not gonna be anything like a mechanical engr technology program or something, its still an engr degree, and they focus a lot on calculations and design

[physicist No.6732623]

>>6732615

Good riddance. Deserved his electrocution.

[Anonymous No.6732627]

>>6732620
>a lot of technical stuff. neutronics, fluid mechanics, heat transfer, materials science, radiation detection
Those actually sound really cool. I toyed with just doing Materials Science. If Nuclear Engineering has those it seems like the field for me.