Danger of Photodisintegration

       Photodisintegration is a nuclear reaction, hence it can't be helped that it may pose a threat for humans. Photodisntegration may cause an atomic body to eject particles such as neutron, proton, alpha emission, and particle cluster. while most of them are harmless one of them is particularly lethal for humans. Alpha particle. The emission of alpha particles can't penetrate human skin so it doesn't pose any harm through contact. However, if by any chance one is to inhale or ingest them, then it will become lethal, as a matter of fact, it can become more lethal than gamma-ray and beta particles. This is because the alpha particle is more ionizing compared to another emission. So be careful with it in the future.

Photodisintegration Energy Range

 

X-ray photons possessing a minimum of 10 MeV of energy can interact directly with the nucleus of the atom, causing a state of excitement within the nucleus, followed by the emission of a nuclear fragment. This process is referred to as photodisintegration. It does not occur in diagnostic radiography, but does occur in the nuclear industry.

Photodisintegration is used in which modalities?

 Photodisintegration is commonly used in radiation therapy.

Interactions of Radiation and Matter - Photodisintegration

A photon can be absorbed into an atomic nucleus over a certain energy threshold, causing one of the nucleons (a proton or a neutron) to be ejected.

Photodisintegration is the term for this process. Photodisintegration is more likely to occur in high-Z materials (such as metals) than in tissue during photon production in a linear particle accelerator (linac). Patients undergoing radiotherapy from very high energy machines may receive a considerable background radiation dose from neutrons produced in this manner.

On the other hand, photodisintegration is insignificant for accelerators functioning at less than 10 MV.

Photodisintegration interaction

Photodisintegration video

Photodisintegration in Lightning

          Lightning with extreme velocity electrons can produce gamma rays burst as bremsstrahlung. Occasionally, the energy from gamma-ray will be strong enough to initiate the photonuclear reaction, photodisintegration, causing neutrons to be ejected. One of the isotopes produced from such reactions is Nitrogen-13.

Islamic view on Photodisintegration

Praying for the one who read this to be in a good health and always bright ! 😊  

So let us take some lesson that Allah had given us in the book of life — Al-Quran.

Allah mentioned in Al-Quran;

"We made the sky a preserved and protected roof, yet still they turn away from Our signs." [21:32]

    According to article in Islamweb.net entitled The Well-Guarded Sky – A Miracle of the Quran, it is mentioned that "This attribute of the sky has been proved by scientific research carried out in the 20th century: The atmosphere surrounding the Earth serves crucial functions for the continuity of life."

    Based on above quranic verse, as a Muslim who is obligated to search for knowledge, we can ask ourselves why is it written "...sky a preserved and protected roof,..." ,  is there something harmful residing beyond the skies? As researches were conducted, we got to know that there are harmful rays at the outer surface of the sky and only harmless and useful rays such as visible light, ultraviolet light and radio waves pass through as they have vital functions in our life. 

    Why I chose to discuss this quranic verse on photodisintegration? It is because photodisintegration is closely related with radiation.  

    It is undeniable that the Al-Quran has provided us the knowledge that we have today. Including Photodisintegration! Even though it is not directly mentioned in the Al-Quran, but with the fundamentals mentioned in the Al-Quran, researches were conducted and we got to see the greatness of Allah S.W.T, ; as photodisintegration is a nuclear reaction that takes part in a core-collapsed supernova.

Hope my sharing help you to gain new and more knowledge ! 😀

Taken from:

https://www.islamweb.net/en/article/193468/the-well-guarded-sky-a-miracle-of-the-quran

Photodisintegration xray gamma ray

Here is a video about interaction of photon with matter 
 

Photodisintegration in Radiation Therapy

OVERVIEW

        Radiation therapy, one of the three established cancer treatment modalities, is used to treat most types of solid tumors and selected hematologic malignancies. It is used almost entirely to treat malignant disease, although it has a small role in preventing proliferation in benign disease. Radiation therapy is routinely combined with surgery, chemotherapy, or both to improve therapeutic results. It is often used with surgery to destroy microscopic regions of tumor extension and with chemotherapy to more effectively destroy the primary tumor. An understanding of the therapeutic use of ionizing radiation requires a basic comprehension of both the physics of radiation therapy delivery and the biological effects of the interaction of radiation with matter.

APPLICATION

            Above threshold energy, a photon can be absorbed into an atomic nucleus and cause one of the nucleons (a proton or a neutron) to be ejected. This process is called photodisintegration. Photodisintegration is more probable in high-Z materials (such as metals), and thus is more likely to happen during photon generation in a linear particle accelerator (linac) than in tissue. Neutrons produced in this manner can contribute a significant background radiation dose to patients receiving radiotherapy from very high-energy machines. However, photodisintegration is negligible for accelerators operating below 10 MV.

Photo Disintegration, main difference, importance

 

How photodisintegration works?

 Let's take a break and watch this video regarding photodisintegration x-ray! :D 

Highlight: A carbon-12 atom is photodisintegrated into three alpha particles by a high-energy x-ray photon.

Don't forget to drop your comment below :)

Photodisintegration in a core-collapsed supernova

 

When a high-energy photon is absorbed by an atomic nucleus, photodisintegration occurs. A neutron, proton, or alpha particle is released as the nucleus divides to form lighter elements. 

Photodisintegration breaks up iron nuclei into helium nuclei and neutrons during a supernova's core collapse, undoing hundreds of thousands of years of nuclear fusion.

γ + ⁵⁶Fe → 13⁴He + 4n

Via photodisintegration, these helium nuclei are split into protons and neutrons, the fundamental basic components of elements.

γ + ⁴He → 2p⁺ + 2n

Phototransmutation

• Photodisintegration, also called Phototransmutation, in physics, a nuclear reaction in which the absorption of high-energy electromagnetic radiation (a gamma-ray photon)
• It causes the absorbing nucleus to change to another species by ejecting a subatomic particle, such as a proton, neutron, or alpha particle.
• For example, magnesium-25, upon absorbing a photon of sufficient energy, emits a proton and becomes sodium-24. Photodisintegration differs from the nuclear reaction photofission, in which a nucleus, upon absorbing a photon, splits into two fragments of nearly equal mass.

What is Photodisintegration?

 

Photodisintegration, also called Phototransmutation, in physics, nuclear reaction in which the absorption of high-energy electromagnetic radiation (a gamma-ray photon) causes the absorbing nucleus to change to another species by ejecting a subatomic particle, such as a proton, neutron, or alpha particle. 

For example, magnesium-25, upon absorbing a photon of sufficient energy, emits a proton and becomes sodium-24. Photodisintegration differs from the nuclear reaction photofission, in which a nucleus, upon absorbing a photon, splits into two fragments of nearly equal mass.