GAMMA RAYS

GAMMA WAVES

• Discovered by French physicist Paul Villard in 1900
• Smallest type of emr wave

PROPERTIES OF GAMMA WAVES

• The wave length is 10^-12 meters (about the width of ten electrons in a line)
• The frequency is 10^20 Hz
• Gamma waves are emitted from radioactive substances and elements

TECHNOLOGY THAT USES GAMMA WAVES

• Radiotherapy - aims gamma waves to kill cancerous cells
• Gamma waves are used to sterilize medical equipment

NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF GAMMA WAVES

• Gamma waves kill cells
• They mutate DNA

HOW GAMMA WAVES CURE CANCER

• They are concentrated over affected area
• They kill off the cancerous cells by destroying their dna so they can't replicate
• Radiotherapy can kill healthy cells so it is a dangerous treatment

Interesting Fact
Nuclear reactors and nuclear bombs emit gamma waves

SOURCES

• dorvill.clara.net/emag/emagggamma
• science.hq.nasa.gov/kids/images/ems/gamma