Certified Safety Professional Practice Exam

Question: 1 / 445

What is one major hazard associated with alpha radiation?

It can penetrate deeply into the body

It can cause internal damage if ingested or inhaled

Alpha radiation consists of helium nuclei and has significant differences in how it interacts with matter compared to other types of radiation. While it has limited penetration power and cannot pass through the skin, alpha particles can cause considerable harm if they are ingested or inhaled.

When alpha-emitting materials lodge in the body—whether in the respiratory tract or gastrointestinal system—they can come into direct contact with living tissues. This proximity allows for a high dose of radiation to be absorbed over a very short range, resulting in high levels of localized cellular damage. This damage can lead to serious health issues, including cancer.

The other options describe misunderstandings about alpha radiation; it does not penetrate deeply into tissues or pose severe external radiation hazards, as its energy is insufficient to penetrate the skin. Thus, internal exposure is indeed the major hazard associated with alpha radiation.

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It poses severe external radiation hazards

It causes damage to the outer layer of skin

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