Which radiation affects the lungs?

• A. Beta Radiation
• B. Neutron Radiation
• C. Gamma Radiation
• D. Alpha Radiation

Answer: (D)

Different types of radiation interact with the body in ways that determine where damage occurs. Alpha radiation delivers a lot of energy over a very short distance. If alpha-emitting material gets into the lungs by inhalation, those particles deposit a large amount of energy right in the lung tissue, causing intense, localized damage to nearby cells. That makes the lungs especially vulnerable when the alpha source is inside the respiratory tract.

Other radiations travel farther or deposit energy over a longer path, so while they can reach the lungs, they don’t cause the same intense, localized dose in lung tissue as inhaled alpha radiation.