X-Rays, From Broken Bones to the Stars

Airport X-rays

Whether you have realized it or not, you have most likely had an encounter with x-ray waves before. Every time you go on an airplane X-rays are used to scan for dangerous items in peoples luggage to make sure you have a safe trip. If you have ever broken a bone, then X-rays were used to determine what the damage was. X-rays are also very useful for taking pictures in space, and the field of astronomy in general. X-rays are a very critical resource in today's society and have many different applications. This is due to the unique nature of how X-rays work and the fact that they are mostly harmless.
X-rays are a part of the electromagnetic spectrum, and like many other forms of radiation, the behave like a particle even though they are a wave. This is due to their extremely small wavelength, in fact the wavelength ranges only from about 10 to .01 nanometers and the frequency is from 1x10^16 up to 1x10^19 hertz. These high frequency waves were actually discovered by accident when the scientist Roentgen created X-ray waves using cathode rays. This was the first discovery of a source of x rays but there are actually many different sources. Many objects in space such as stars, commits,and black holes emit X-rays naturally, but they can also be created by striking a metal surface with vibrating electrons. The natural X-rays are very helpful in photographing stars, and locating other celestial objects. However the X-rays emitted there cannot penetrate the atmosphere, so X-ray telescopes need to be sent into orbit for the X-rays to be detected. The X-rays emitted on earth have many more uses relevant to our everyday lives. Because X-rays can penetrate many materials they can be used to see the through materials that are not very dense,and then will stop at dense materials such as bone and metal. This is how doctors can see through skin to bones, and why they stay behind a lead shield to avoid the x-rays. because X-rays are stopped by metal they are also used in buildings to see if there are any structural problems. X-rays aren't completely safe though because overexposure to them can be extremely dangerous. The reason that people like doctors must avoid getting too much exposure is that X-rays can cause cancer. That doesn't mean that if you get a broken bone and have to get an X-ray, that your at risk, because only extreme overexposure can really be dangerous. However it is still good to know the risks.

Hands being X-rayed
Overall X-rays are very helpful in many fields, from medicine to astronomy. They can help us take pictures of the stars or find a crack in a building to prevent disaster. X-rays are very high frequency waves that exist in nature or can be produced to fit our needs. However they can be carcinogenic and damaging to your health. When X-rays are used safely they are a very important part of our lives today.


Sources:
Atom-The Incredible World. The Discovery and Research of X-Rays, n.d. Web. 1 Apr. 2010.
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Kurtis, Ron. "x rays." www.schoolforchampions.com. N.p., 30 Jan. 2008. Web. 17 Mar. 2010.
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Netting, Ruth. "X-Rays." National Aeronautics and Space Admininistration. N.p., 27 Mar. 2007. Web. 1
Apr. 2010. .

Ever Wanted to Cure Cancer?

If I were to be a scientist when I grow up I would most likely be a medical microbiologist. A medical microbiologist typically works at a hospital or a certain company specializing in microbiology. Depending on where they work they usually work at a lab and test the various affects of different substances on certain diseases and viruses, and attempt to find new treatments or even cures for diseases that are still a problem today. It is not an easy career to get into because a doctorate is very helpful in getting into this kind of work.
I have always had an interest in going into a medical profession and the study of diseases and viruses is especially of interest to me. I think I would also be good at it because I am a kinetic and visual learner and this is a very hands on job. It would also allow me to go into the medical field without being a doctor which is not a profession I'm very interested in. This job would also contribute to my ambition to help improve the way certain viruses and diseases are treated. Even today there are still many viruses that have no cures such as cancer and it would be a huge accomplishment to help find better treatments for these sicknesses.
Microbiologists play a huge role in getting rid of diseases and could save countless lives in the future. Already there are people that made huge impacts in the medical industry, such as Don Wiley, Tanya Holzmayer, Robert Schwartz, and Leonid Stratchunsky. These people helped to expand our knowledge of some of the most deadly diseases today and how they affect us. They showed what it really means to be a medical microbiologist.

Source:Google Images

Sticky Situation

You have probably heard more than once, that whenever you swallow gum it will stay in your stomach for seven years, but what about those people who swallow gum all the time? They seem fine. Then again everyone says it so it must be true, right? If not then where did this whole myth come from? Gum is by no means a recent invention however many people are concerned that it's bad for you to swallow. Because of this it is most likely that some parents have told their children not to swallow the gum that they chew, and this myth eventually got around and became very widespread.
According to Snopes.com the reason that some would be convinced that gum is bad for you is the fact that gum is designed not to break down when you chew on it. It is made up of chemicals that resist the digestive properties in your saliva. This is probably the reason people think that gum would take so long to digest.
So, does gum really take seven years to digest? Howstuffworks.com has the answer and it's no, gum does not stay in your stomach for seven years. Most of the gum can be digested along with the rest of your food. Although the gum doesn't get fully digested it does not stay in your stomach for seven years. Even though it never fully breaks down, it stays in your stomach just as long as the rest of your food.
Here is an interesting podcast where you can hear the myth get disproven.
Sources
http://www.snopes.com/oldwives/chewgum.asp
http://health.hwostuffworks.com/gum-seven-years.htm

Tags: Gum, Myths, Seven Years

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