tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8740971876602952565.post4587330035432115620..comments2024-03-19T22:49:42.491-07:00Comments on Nuke Power Talk: Fiestaware: Understanding Radiation Gail Marcushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03389387408479728702noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8740971876602952565.post-83439967376450005742021-01-14T12:54:40.464-08:002021-01-14T12:54:40.464-08:00In a follow up to this news article, a new news it...In a follow up to this news article, a new news item reports that members of the science community are coming to the defense of the student involved in this incident: https://bronx.news12.com/science-community-comes-to-defense-of-student-who-brought-uranium-plate-to-school Gail Marcushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03389387408479728702noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8740971876602952565.post-70417906319074190512021-01-14T10:57:14.886-08:002021-01-14T10:57:14.886-08:00Yes, "hot" is a term relative to the use...Yes, "hot" is a term relative to the user/listener. Often used by physics geeks along with things like "spicy". And I apologize that I didn't read the context here better. I have ceramics that I would call "hot" in the context of ceramics. But of course Alpha radiation wouldn't even make it through a piece of paper. Scrape a piece of that glaze off and eat it though?<br /><br />Now, I have some neutron sources I built that throw (slang again) strong Gamma radiation which are "hot" in any context. Though of course most people educated in America would likely still think I mean thermally hot.<br />Ramble a Dayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01893142531336648055noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8740971876602952565.post-69224077874518494972021-01-14T07:19:35.729-08:002021-01-14T07:19:35.729-08:00Thanks for noting all the other items in our every...Thanks for noting all the other items in our everyday lives that have measurable levels of radioactivity. But I do want to note that these are all low levels of radioactivity, and the term "hot" is a relative one. These items are not hot in the sense of being dangerous to touch or to use.Gail Marcushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03389387408479728702noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8740971876602952565.post-42983787630192110552021-01-13T19:58:17.978-08:002021-01-13T19:58:17.978-08:00Yep Potassium 40 throws low level rads, mostly Bet...Yep Potassium 40 throws low level rads, mostly Beta radiation. Fortunately for us, and monkeys, one would have to incredible amounts of bananas to noticeably increase cancer risk. Its fun though to walk through ones house with a geiger counter. If you started in the kitchen with bananas, then beer, lima beans potatoes and few other veggies and fruit emit some radiation. Brazil nuts are the highest of all normally eaten foods. But then while you are in the kitchen . . . granite countertops? Often pretty hot. Then any dishware you have that is older than the 60's? Especially the red/orange ones? Some like Fiestaware is so radioactive I use them as sources for physics experiments! Then, salt substitutes often have som. Some older iron pots and pans . . . and more! And thats just the kitchen, there are things scattered all over the house that will make a Geiger counter click. The MOST radioactive thing you have in your house is in your smoke detector. Americium 241, which is only 1 neutron difference from Plutonium! The stuff used in nuclear weapons! Then there is the radon gas that is a problem in *lots of our basements (and you should check if you haven't, nasty stuff) - it comes from the natural decay of the uranium below your house.<br /><br />And - I'm bored, so that was my long winded ramble on household radiation.Ramble a Dayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01893142531336648055noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8740971876602952565.post-78791048487488551722021-01-13T19:21:02.688-08:002021-01-13T19:21:02.688-08:00An excellent point. Bananas contain low levels of...An excellent point. Bananas contain low levels of naturally occurring radioactive isotopes of potassium. Gail Marcushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03389387408479728702noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8740971876602952565.post-79671999358164034032021-01-13T07:02:02.216-08:002021-01-13T07:02:02.216-08:00Agreed, Gail, an overreaction. I hope they don'...Agreed, Gail, an overreaction. I hope they don't have a huge stockpile of bananas in the cafeteria! Sgburns05https://www.blogger.com/profile/00114527785161359398noreply@blogger.com