Table of Contents
What would happen if Earth was hit by a gamma ray burst?
With the gamma-rays beamed directly at Earth, the radiation would destroy a significant portion of our atmosphere, specifically the ozone layer. The photons streaming from the burst would cause chemical reactions leading to photochemical smog. This would further deplete our protection from cosmic rays.
What happens if cosmic rays hit the Earth?
When the particles in cosmic rays collide with the atoms in at the top of the atmosphere, they burst, tearing apart atoms in a violent collision. The particles from that explosion then keep bursting apart other bits of matter, in a snowballing chain reaction. Some of this atomic shrapnel even hits the ground.
What do gamma rays do to matter?
The gamma ray energy is transformed into matter, with the strong electrical field of the nucleus acting as a catalyst. This pair production occurs more frequently than the Compton effect for high energies, but remains marginal in the field of radioactive phenomena.
Why can gamma rays penetrate most matter?
The great penetrating power of gamma rays stems from the fact that they have no electric charge and thus do not interact with matter as strongly as do charged particles. Because of their penetrating power gamma rays can be used for radiographing holes and defects in metal castings and other structural parts.
Can gamma rays create matter?
When gamma rays made by electrons interact, they can create matter-antimatter pairs—an electron and a positron. Now, scientists have developed a new trick to create these matter-antimatter pairs even more efficiently.
What causes the radiation damage to matter when gamma rays damages it?
Answer: c) ions and free radicals When gamma-rays and X-rays interact with matter, they produce ions and free-radicals.
What is the effect of gamma rays in environment?
Gamma rays from space are absorbed by Earth’s atmosphere. They can destroy living cells, produce mutations, and cause cancer.