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Links: =**The Environmental Effects Caused by Chernobyl **= = =

=**Dangers of Nuclear Science **=

 A Geiger counter is a device used to detect radiation. A Geiger counter works by detecting the ionization produced by a radioactive particle. Each time a particle of radiation is detected, the counter records this event. The number of events recorded over a period of time indicates the amount of radiation present. Often this is done over one minute intervals, resulting in the familiar "counts per minute" or CPM. The higher the CPM, the higher the radiation levels. (From http://www.blackcatsystems.com/GM/geiger_counter.html )
 * ====Know what a Geiger counter is. ====




 * ==== Understand the reasons for and causes of radiation sickness. ====

The cause of radiation sickness is often large doses of radiation in a short amount of time, or long term exposure to lower levels of radiation. Radiation can harm internal organs and damage tissues in the body, but it is also serves as a sometimes more effective treatment for cancer.

The initial signs and symptoms of treatable radiation sickness are usually nausea and vomiting. The amount of time between exposure and the onset of these symptoms is, in fact, a relatively reliable indicator of how much radiation a person has absorbed. After the initial onset of signs and symptoms, a person with radiation sickness then experiences a brief period of a few days with no apparent illness. This period precedes the onset of signs and symptoms indicating more serious illness.
 * Initial signs and symptoms**

Signs and symptoms resulting from an acute absorbed dose of 1 to 2 Gy may include:
 * Mild radiation sickness**
 * Nausea and vomiting within 24 to 48 hours
 * Headache
 * Fatigue
 * Weakness

With an acute absorbed dose of 2 to 3.5 Gy, a person may experience: Moderate radiation sickness can be fatal to those most sensitive to radiation exposure.
 * Moderate radiation sickness**
 * Nausea and vomiting within 12 to 24 hours
 * Fever
 * Hair loss
 * Infections
 * Vomiting blood
 * Bloody stool
 * Poor wound healing
 * Any signs and symptoms associated with a lower absorbed dose

An absorbed dose of 3.5 to 5.5 Gy can result in the following signs and symptoms: Severe radiation sickness is fatal about half the time.
 * Severe radiation sickness**
 * Nausea and vomiting less than one hour after exposure to radiation
 * Diarrhea
 * High fever
 * Any signs and symptoms associated with a lower absorbed dose

A person with an absorbed dose greater than 5.5 to 8 Gy can have the following signs and symptoms: Very severe radiation sickness is often fatal.
 * Very severe radiation sickness**
 * Nausea and vomiting less than 30 minutes after exposure to radiation
 * Dizziness
 * Disorientation
 * Low blood pressure (hypotension)
 * Any signs and symptoms associated with a lower absorbed dose

Possible sources of high-dose radiation include the following: Radiation sickness occurs when high-energy radiation damages or destroys certain cells in the body. Regions of the body most vulnerable to high-energy radiation are cells in the lining of the stomach and intestinal tract and the blood cell producing cells of bone marrow. ( This and more information on radiation sickness can be found at: [|http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/radiation-sickness/DS00432/DSECTION=2] )
 * Sources of high-dose radiation**
 * An accident at a nuclear industrial facility
 * An attack on a nuclear industrial facility
 * Detonation of a small radioactive device
 * Detonation of a conventional explosive device that disperses radioactive material (dirty bomb)
 * Detonation of a standard nuclear weapon