Electromagnetism Impact On Health Care
Electromagnetism and it’s Impact on our Health Car
By: Dalia Newman
Course: Grade 12 Physics
Teacher: Mrs. Chocron
Due: Friday April 15 2011 Electromagnetism and it’s Impact on our Health Care
Electromagnetism is one of the four fundamental interactions of nature. It is the force that causes the interaction between electrically charged particles; the areas in which this happens are called electromagnetic fields. It was discovered when it was observed that a copper wire carrying an electric current can magnetize pieces of iron or steel near it. An electromagnet is made from two components, a solenoid, and a ferromagnetic material. The solenoid is an insulated …show more content…
copper wire that is coiled into a cylinder. Both ends of this wire are attached to a battery, one to the positive end and one to the negative end. This sends a stream of electrons from the negative end to the positive end. This flow of electrons produces a magnetic field surrounding the solenoid. The solenoid is wrapped around a ferromagnetic material, such as iron, and it increases the strength of the magnetic field surrounding the copper wire. On the other hand, if a copper wire is not attached to a battery but is part of a closed circuit, and a magnetic field that is constantly changing is applied to the wire, the magnetic field should induce the flow of electrons (if the magnetic field strength is constant, no electrons will flow). This technique is used for electricity generation and is known as electromagnetic induction.
It is clear that there is a significant relationship between magnets and electrons. As well, both produce surrounding fields. A field can be defined as an area of space that has been altered because of the presence of certain waves. These waves can affect objects around their source, like when the waves from a magnet act on a piece of metal inside the magnetic field. When an electrical current (or changing electrical field) is present in a wire and a magnetic field is produced, it is produced in the form of waves. Meaning the electrons travel in waves. Because a changing magnetic field produces electric waves and a changing electric field produces magnetic waves, these changes trigger each other and create what we refer to as electromagnetic waves.
Electromagnetic waves consist of electric and magnetic waves propagating at perpendicular angles to each other, both travelling at the speed of light. These waves are seen in the forms of light, electricity, and magnetism and can have either short or long wavelengths. Waves with shorter wavelengths contain much more energy than those with longer wavelengths. The electromagnetic spectrum is the range of different electromagnetic waves known to humans today. The spectrum starts with radio waves, which have very long wave lengths, but not very much energy. The wavelength of a radio ranges from as long as 100,000,000 m to as short as 1 meter. After radio waves we come to microwaves, ranging from 1 meter to a millimeter, followed by infra-red waves, from about a millimeter to 700 nanometers. Next is the visible light spectrum with the colors of the rainbow, starting from red at 700 nanometers to violet at 400 nanometers. Following there are ultraviolet rays from 400 to 10 nanometers, x-rays from 10 to 0.01 nanometers, and finally gamma rays which include any wave with a wavelength less than 0.01 nanometers. Gamma rays, being the shortest, contain huge amounts of energy.
Electromagnetic radiation has had a major impact on our health care technology.
Many fields of medicine today have benefitted from electromagnetism. The x-ray is the most commonly used medical technology that uses electromagnetic waves. As you can see in the diagram above, x-rays have a wavelength of 10 to 0.01 nanometers. X-rays are used in medicine to view bone structure and density, for example to observe a bone for breaks or fractures. An x-ray machine contains a cathode filament, which is heated inside of a vacuum tube. It releases a stream of electrons that are accelerated by an electrical field. The electrons travel towards an anode target, and once they hit the target they release energy. Most of the kinetic energy released is heat, but some of it is released in the form of x-rays. When the x-rays are produced they fire in all directions, therefore the tube has a small window, forcing the rays to exit in a specific path. The window is facing the patient, and therefore the rays only exit in the direction of the patient. Low energy rays are not useful because the body will absorb all of them. Therefore, x-ray generators come with a metal sheet covering the window through which the rays exit the tube. The metal sheet will filter out all of the weak rays, and the result will be a beam of only high-energy …show more content…
rays. The patient’s bones will absorb most of the x-rays that hit them because bones have atoms such as calcium and potassium, that contain many electrons, and therefore, most of the rays will collide with electrons. Soft tissues will absorb some of the rays that hit them, but not as many as bones, because soft tissue has a lower electron density than bones. Some x-rays will miss the body altogether, hitting a photographic film placed behind the patient. All rays that hit the film will turn up black, but in areas where no rays hit the film, it will remain white. As a result, the film will have an accurate picture of the patient’s anatomy, referred to as a radiograph. On the picture, bones will appear white, because the bone has completely prevented the x-rays from hitting the sheet. Soft tissues will show up as a grey faded colour, because they have only partially stopped the rays. Finally, we have the black background, giving the doctor an accurate picture of the patient’s body. Although x-rays are useful in many situations, they have one major flaw.
X-rays are two dimensional, and do not provide any depth to the body being x-rayed. Therefore, doctors trying to read the x-ray cannot see any objects which are being blocked off by other objects. X-rays are accurate for taking a picture of an arm or leg, however most of your body has many intricate bones and organs, making it impossible to attain a clear image. Doctors solved this issue with the invention of the computerized axial tomography scan, more often referred to as the CAT scan. The CAT scan takes photographs of the body using the same technique that the x-ray machine does. However, unlike the x-ray, the CAT scan is a tube that rotates around the body and takes many images from many different vantage points. It uses x-rays to photograph cross sections of the body, as if to slice the body at different points and take pictures of each slice. The images produced are called tomograms. This allows doctors to observe bones and organs from many vantage points, providing depth to the images of the patient’s body. As well, contrast dyes can be injected into the patient’s blood vessels causing them to appear on the scan as well. The dyes are usually metals, such as barium or iodine, which stop x-rays due to their high electron densities, therefore allowing the vessels to appear on the tomogram. CAT scans of internal organs, bones, soft tissue and blood vessels provide greater clarity and reveal more
details than regular x-ray machines. Using specialized equipment and expertise to create and interpret CAT scans of the body, radiologists can more easily diagnose problems such as cancers, cardiovascular disease, infectious disease, appendicitis, trauma and musculoskeletal disorders.
X-rays and CAT scans have greatly assisted doctors However, they can be dangerous to a patient’s health if used too often, because of the harmful x-rays. X-rays are very high energy and are known to cause genetic mutations and other harmful effects when used excessively. Doctors must be careful that they do not expose patients to an excessive amount of radiation. As long as preformed safely safely, both of these methods provide an excellent image of patients’ bodies without invasion. Electromagnetism technology has many more uses in the health field. However, x-rays and CAT scans are the most commonly used forms of electromagnetism, and can help diagnose anything from a small fracture to cancer. The advances made in electromagnetic technology have proven useful in the medical field, and have been able to increase the length and quality of life to many people.
Image of the first X-ray in History
Bibliography http://www.emedicinehealth.com/ct_scan/article_em.htm#CT Scan Introduction http://www.medterms.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=2878 http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/electromagnetic_radiation.aspx http://imagine.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/science/know_l1/emspectrum.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electromagnetic_radiation
http://www.worldculturepictorial.com/images/content/anatomy_of_a_CT_scan.jpg
By: Dalia Newman
Course: Grade 12 Physics
Teacher: Mrs. Chocron
Due: Friday April 15 2011 Electromagnetism and it’s Impact on our Health Care
Electromagnetism is one of the four fundamental interactions of nature. It is the force that causes the interaction between electrically charged particles; the areas in which this happens are called electromagnetic fields. It was discovered when it was observed that a copper wire carrying an electric current can magnetize pieces of iron or steel near it. An electromagnet is made from two components, a solenoid, and a ferromagnetic material. The solenoid is an insulated …show more content…
copper wire that is coiled into a cylinder. Both ends of this wire are attached to a battery, one to the positive end and one to the negative end. This sends a stream of electrons from the negative end to the positive end. This flow of electrons produces a magnetic field surrounding the solenoid. The solenoid is wrapped around a ferromagnetic material, such as iron, and it increases the strength of the magnetic field surrounding the copper wire. On the other hand, if a copper wire is not attached to a battery but is part of a closed circuit, and a magnetic field that is constantly changing is applied to the wire, the magnetic field should induce the flow of electrons (if the magnetic field strength is constant, no electrons will flow). This technique is used for electricity generation and is known as electromagnetic induction.
It is clear that there is a significant relationship between magnets and electrons. As well, both produce surrounding fields. A field can be defined as an area of space that has been altered because of the presence of certain waves. These waves can affect objects around their source, like when the waves from a magnet act on a piece of metal inside the magnetic field. When an electrical current (or changing electrical field) is present in a wire and a magnetic field is produced, it is produced in the form of waves. Meaning the electrons travel in waves. Because a changing magnetic field produces electric waves and a changing electric field produces magnetic waves, these changes trigger each other and create what we refer to as electromagnetic waves.
Electromagnetic waves consist of electric and magnetic waves propagating at perpendicular angles to each other, both travelling at the speed of light. These waves are seen in the forms of light, electricity, and magnetism and can have either short or long wavelengths. Waves with shorter wavelengths contain much more energy than those with longer wavelengths. The electromagnetic spectrum is the range of different electromagnetic waves known to humans today. The spectrum starts with radio waves, which have very long wave lengths, but not very much energy. The wavelength of a radio ranges from as long as 100,000,000 m to as short as 1 meter. After radio waves we come to microwaves, ranging from 1 meter to a millimeter, followed by infra-red waves, from about a millimeter to 700 nanometers. Next is the visible light spectrum with the colors of the rainbow, starting from red at 700 nanometers to violet at 400 nanometers. Following there are ultraviolet rays from 400 to 10 nanometers, x-rays from 10 to 0.01 nanometers, and finally gamma rays which include any wave with a wavelength less than 0.01 nanometers. Gamma rays, being the shortest, contain huge amounts of energy.
Electromagnetic radiation has had a major impact on our health care technology.
Many fields of medicine today have benefitted from electromagnetism. The x-ray is the most commonly used medical technology that uses electromagnetic waves. As you can see in the diagram above, x-rays have a wavelength of 10 to 0.01 nanometers. X-rays are used in medicine to view bone structure and density, for example to observe a bone for breaks or fractures. An x-ray machine contains a cathode filament, which is heated inside of a vacuum tube. It releases a stream of electrons that are accelerated by an electrical field. The electrons travel towards an anode target, and once they hit the target they release energy. Most of the kinetic energy released is heat, but some of it is released in the form of x-rays. When the x-rays are produced they fire in all directions, therefore the tube has a small window, forcing the rays to exit in a specific path. The window is facing the patient, and therefore the rays only exit in the direction of the patient. Low energy rays are not useful because the body will absorb all of them. Therefore, x-ray generators come with a metal sheet covering the window through which the rays exit the tube. The metal sheet will filter out all of the weak rays, and the result will be a beam of only high-energy …show more content…
rays. The patient’s bones will absorb most of the x-rays that hit them because bones have atoms such as calcium and potassium, that contain many electrons, and therefore, most of the rays will collide with electrons. Soft tissues will absorb some of the rays that hit them, but not as many as bones, because soft tissue has a lower electron density than bones. Some x-rays will miss the body altogether, hitting a photographic film placed behind the patient. All rays that hit the film will turn up black, but in areas where no rays hit the film, it will remain white. As a result, the film will have an accurate picture of the patient’s anatomy, referred to as a radiograph. On the picture, bones will appear white, because the bone has completely prevented the x-rays from hitting the sheet. Soft tissues will show up as a grey faded colour, because they have only partially stopped the rays. Finally, we have the black background, giving the doctor an accurate picture of the patient’s body. Although x-rays are useful in many situations, they have one major flaw.
X-rays are two dimensional, and do not provide any depth to the body being x-rayed. Therefore, doctors trying to read the x-ray cannot see any objects which are being blocked off by other objects. X-rays are accurate for taking a picture of an arm or leg, however most of your body has many intricate bones and organs, making it impossible to attain a clear image. Doctors solved this issue with the invention of the computerized axial tomography scan, more often referred to as the CAT scan. The CAT scan takes photographs of the body using the same technique that the x-ray machine does. However, unlike the x-ray, the CAT scan is a tube that rotates around the body and takes many images from many different vantage points. It uses x-rays to photograph cross sections of the body, as if to slice the body at different points and take pictures of each slice. The images produced are called tomograms. This allows doctors to observe bones and organs from many vantage points, providing depth to the images of the patient’s body. As well, contrast dyes can be injected into the patient’s blood vessels causing them to appear on the scan as well. The dyes are usually metals, such as barium or iodine, which stop x-rays due to their high electron densities, therefore allowing the vessels to appear on the tomogram. CAT scans of internal organs, bones, soft tissue and blood vessels provide greater clarity and reveal more
details than regular x-ray machines. Using specialized equipment and expertise to create and interpret CAT scans of the body, radiologists can more easily diagnose problems such as cancers, cardiovascular disease, infectious disease, appendicitis, trauma and musculoskeletal disorders.
X-rays and CAT scans have greatly assisted doctors However, they can be dangerous to a patient’s health if used too often, because of the harmful x-rays. X-rays are very high energy and are known to cause genetic mutations and other harmful effects when used excessively. Doctors must be careful that they do not expose patients to an excessive amount of radiation. As long as preformed safely safely, both of these methods provide an excellent image of patients’ bodies without invasion. Electromagnetism technology has many more uses in the health field. However, x-rays and CAT scans are the most commonly used forms of electromagnetism, and can help diagnose anything from a small fracture to cancer. The advances made in electromagnetic technology have proven useful in the medical field, and have been able to increase the length and quality of life to many people.
Image of the first X-ray in History
Bibliography http://www.emedicinehealth.com/ct_scan/article_em.htm#CT Scan Introduction http://www.medterms.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=2878 http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/electromagnetic_radiation.aspx http://imagine.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/science/know_l1/emspectrum.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electromagnetic_radiation
http://www.worldculturepictorial.com/images/content/anatomy_of_a_CT_scan.jpg