Question 705
{"accessible":false,"alternatives":[{"id":3549,"text":"cells tend to be more radiosensitive when young"},{"id":3550,"text":"cells which divide rapidly are more radiation sensitive"},{"id":3551,"text":"greater metabolic activity increases radiation resistance"},{"id":3552,"text":"the radiation sensitivity of cells can be increased by certain drugs"},{"id":3553,"text":"water is the most abundant source of free radicals"}],"archived":false,"correctAlternativeId":3551,"explanation":"\u003cp\u003eRadiation damage to organic molecules occurs almost exclusively by free-radical interactions. Ionizing radiation exposure can produce free radicals in abundance through excitation processes. In cells, water is the most abundant source of radiation-produced hydrogen and hydroxyl free radicals. These can interact with molecules involved in\u0026nbsp;\u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cell_(biology)\"\u003ecellular metabolism\u003c/a\u003e, for instance, and the normal function of the cell may become impaired.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe rate of metabolic activity\u0026nbsp;is not related in any way to radiation resistance.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAdapted from Basic Physics of Digital Radiography by Kieran Maher, with author's permission (License: Creative Commons BY-SA 3.0).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e","id":705,"imageUrl":null,"imageAttribution":null,"imageAttributionCaseInfo":null,"firstQuestionPath":"/questions/782","nextQuestionPath":null,"relatedArticles":[],"alsoUsedIn":[],"stem":"\u003cp\u003eIn the context of radiobiology which is \u003cstrong\u003eFALSE\u003c/strong\u003e?\u003c/p\u003e","menuLinks":[{"text":"Report problem with question","url":"https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfO3soWYhOjJ7yErSysyCe5V4A1CqW7WK3rDA7MtAkecMGqNw/viewform?entry.1624461248\u0026entry.553583435=https://radiopaedia.org/questions/705"}],"attemptsPercentages":[{"alternativeId":"3550","percentage":10},{"alternativeId":"3549","percentage":7},{"alternativeId":"3552","percentage":11},{"alternativeId":"3551","percentage":60},{"alternativeId":"3553","percentage":12}],"promptToLogin":false,"questionManager":false,"articleId":"biomolecular-radiation-damage"}