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Related Concept Videos

Nuclear Fission02:50

Nuclear Fission

Many heavier elements with smaller binding energies per nucleon can decompose into more stable elements that have intermediate mass numbers and larger binding energies per nucleon—that is, mass numbers and binding energies per nucleon that are closer to the “peak” of the binding energy graph near 56. Sometimes neutrons are also produced. This decomposition of a large nucleus into smaller pieces is called fission. The breaking is rather random with the formation of a large number of different...
Nuclear Fusion02:45

Nuclear Fusion

The process of converting very light nuclei into heavier nuclei is also accompanied by the conversion of mass into large amounts of energy, a process called fusion. The principal source of energy in the sun is a net fusion reaction in which four hydrogen nuclei fuse and ultimately produce one helium nucleus and two positrons.
A helium nucleus has a mass that is 0.7% less than that of four hydrogen nuclei; this lost mass is converted into energy during the fusion. This reaction produces about...
Biological Effects of Radiation02:59

Biological Effects of Radiation

All radioactive nuclides emit high-energy particles or electromagnetic waves. When this radiation encounters living cells, it can cause heating, break chemical bonds, or ionize molecules. The most serious biological damage results when these radioactive emissions fragment or ionize molecules. For example, α and β particles emitted from nuclear decay reactions possess much higher energies than ordinary chemical bond energies. When these particles strike and penetrate matter, they produce ions...
Nuclear Transmutation03:20

Nuclear Transmutation

Nuclear transmutation is the conversion of one nuclide into another. It can occur by the radioactive decay of a nucleus, or the reaction of a nucleus with another particle. The first manmade nucleus was produced in Ernest Rutherford’s laboratory in 1919 by a transmutation reaction, the bombardment of one type of nuclei with other nuclei or with neutrons. Rutherford bombarded nitrogen-14 atoms with high-speed α particles from a natural radioactive isotope of radium and observed protons being...
Nuclear Power02:36

Nuclear Power

Controlled nuclear fission reactions are used to generate electricity. Any nuclear reactor that produces power via the fission of uranium or plutonium by bombardment with neutrons has six components: nuclear fuel consisting of fissionable material, a nuclear moderator, a neutron source, control rods, reactor coolant, and a shield and containment system.
Nuclear Fuels
Nuclear fuel consists of a fissile isotope, such as uranium-235, which must be present in sufficient quantity to provide a...
Nuclear Stability03:18

Nuclear Stability

Protons and neutrons, collectively called nucleons, are packed together tightly in a nucleus. With a radius of about 10−15 meters, a nucleus is quite small compared to the radius of the entire atom, which is about 10−10 meters. Nuclei are extremely dense compared to bulk matter, averaging 1.8 × 1014 grams per cubic centimeter. If the earth’s density were equal to the average nuclear density, the earth’s radius would be only about 200 meters.
To hold positively charged protons together in the...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 4, 2026

Laser-heating and Radiance Spectrometry for the Study of Nuclear Materials in Conditions Simulating a Nuclear Power Plant Accident
09:18

Laser-heating and Radiance Spectrometry for the Study of Nuclear Materials in Conditions Simulating a Nuclear Power Plant Accident

Published on: December 14, 2017

Mortality among Fukushima nuclear emergency workers, 2012-2021.

Huan Hu1, Kotaro Ozasa2, Shinji Yoshinaga3

  • 1Research Center for Prevention From Radiation Hazards of Workers, National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, Kanagawa, Japan hu.huanhuan@yahoo.com.

Occupational and Environmental Medicine
|July 2, 2026
PubMed
Summary

Mortality among Fukushima emergency workers was initially lower than expected. However, a concerning trend of increased cancer and leukemia deaths emerged over the 10-year study period, necessitating ongoing health surveillance.

Keywords:
AccidentsMortalityRadiation, Ionizing

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jul 4, 2026

Laser-heating and Radiance Spectrometry for the Study of Nuclear Materials in Conditions Simulating a Nuclear Power Plant Accident
09:18

Laser-heating and Radiance Spectrometry for the Study of Nuclear Materials in Conditions Simulating a Nuclear Power Plant Accident

Published on: December 14, 2017

Area of Science:

  • Environmental Health
  • Occupational Health
  • Radiation Epidemiology

Background:

  • The 2011 Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident involved ~20,000 emergency workers.
  • Concerns exist regarding the long-term health impacts on these workers.
  • This study provides the first decade-long mortality overview.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess 10-year mortality trends among Fukushima emergency workers.
  • To investigate potential links between radiation exposure and long-term health outcomes.
  • To establish a baseline for future health monitoring.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of mortality data for 19,358 male emergency workers (2012-2021).
  • Linkage to national vital statistics for cause and date of death.
  • Calculation of standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) against the general Japanese male population, adjusted for age and calendar year.

Main Results:

  • Overall mortality was lower than expected (SMR=0.86), likely due to the healthy-worker effect.
  • SMRs for all solid cancers and radiation-associated cancers/leukemia showed a trend towards exceeding 1.0 from 2018-2021 (P<0.05).
  • No elevated SMR for suicide was observed; trends for non-radiation-associated neoplasms were less pronounced.

Conclusions:

  • While overall mortality is low, a marginal increase in cancer and leukemia SMRs warrants attention.
  • The findings underscore the critical need for continued long-term health monitoring of Fukushima emergency workers.
  • This research contributes vital data to understanding radiation exposure effects in occupational settings.