---
title: "Nuclear hazards and effects"
subject: "Energy Environment and Society"
chapter: 4
key: "semester_7/energy_environment_and_society:nuclear-hazards-effects"
source: https://www.bctengineer.com/q/semester_7/energy_environment_and_society/nuclear-hazards-effects
site: BCT Engineering
---

# Nuclear hazards and effects

Energy Environment and Society · Chapter 4: Environmental Impact of Energy sources

- Asked in: 2071 Shrawan, 3 marks; year not given
- Video: [Nuclear Hazards | Impacts on Human Health and Environment | Environmental Studies / ES301 RGPV](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0cHbkqkXtkQ) — Purnish Verma
- Answer checked by Claude Opus 5.5 (high effort) on 2026-10-14
- Page: https://www.bctengineer.com/q/semester_7/energy_environment_and_society/nuclear-hazards-effects
- Whole chapter: https://www.bctengineer.com/md/semester_7/energy_environment_and_society/chapter-4

## Question

Explain somatic and genetic effects due to nuclear hazards in human beings. What are the potential nuclear hazards?

## Short answer

Somatic effects affect the exposed person, causing acute radiation syndrome, cancer, and cataracts. Genetic effects damage reproductive cells, leading to inherited mutations and birth defects. Potential hazards include reactor accidents, radioactive waste, radiation exposure, nuclear weapons, and mining hazards.

## Answer

#### Potential nuclear hazards
1. **Reactor accidents and radiation release:** Three Mile Island (1979), Chernobyl (1986) and Fukushima (2011).
2. **Radioactive waste:** spent fuel remains dangerous for thousands of years and needs safe storage.
3. **Radiation exposure** in mining, fuel handling and medical or industrial uses.
4. **Nuclear weapons and proliferation, and terrorism** (dirty bombs).
5. **Thermal pollution and release of radioactive effluents** in normal operation.
6. **Mining and milling hazards** (uranium tailings, radon).
7. **Decommissioning problems.**

#### Effects of radiation on humans
Ionising radiation (alpha, beta, gamma, neutrons) damages cells and DNA.

**Somatic effects** (on the exposed person's body; not inherited)
- Acute radiation syndrome at high doses: nausea, vomiting, hair loss, burns, bone-marrow failure, death.
- Delayed effects: cancers (leukaemia, thyroid, lung), cataracts, reduced fertility, premature ageing.
- Severity depends on dose and duration of exposure.

**Genetic effects** (on reproductive cells; inherited by the next generation)
- Radiation damages DNA of sperm or egg cells, causing mutations and chromosomal changes.
- Results: birth defects, genetic diseases and miscarriage in descendants.
- They are assumed to have no safe threshold and may appear in children and grandchildren.

| Point | Somatic | Genetic |
|---|---|---|
| Cells affected | Body cells | Reproductive cells |
| Who suffers | The exposed person | Future generations |
| Example | Cancer, burns | Birth defects, mutations |

## Check yourself

The answer's key points as multiple-choice questions, with the correct option and why.

1. Which describes somatic effects of radiation?
   A. Effects on reproductive cells passed to children
   B. Effects on the exposed person's body that are not inherited
   C. Effects only on future generations
   D. Effects only on the environment
   Answer: B. Somatic effects include acute radiation syndrome, cancers and cataracts in the exposed person. (Key point: Somatic effects)

2. What is the cause of genetic effects?
   A. Burns on the skin
   B. Bone-marrow failure
   C. DNA damage in sperm or egg cells causing mutations
   D. Thyroid cancer in the exposed person
   Answer: C. Mutations in reproductive cells can cause birth defects in descendants, with no safe threshold. (Key point: Genetic effects)

3. Which is a potential nuclear hazard?
   A. Spent fuel becoming safe within a day
   B. Chernobyl being a normal operation
   C. Radon being absent in uranium mining
   D. Radioactive waste staying dangerous for thousands of years
   Answer: D. Spent fuel needs long-term safe storage; accidents include Chernobyl and Fukushima. (Key point: Nuclear hazard)

## Related in Energy Environment and Society

- [Battery hazards and prevention](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Fenergy_environment_and_society%3Abattery-hazards-prevention) — Energy Environment and Society, chapter 4, asked 3×

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