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In medicine, to destroy cancer cells ______ rays are used.

Asked in GUJCET 2017 · Uses and atmospheric effects

Answer: (3) Gamma

Step-by-step solution

Idea: to kill a deep-seated tumour the radiation must both penetrate the tissue and carry enough energy per photon to break molecular bonds in the cell.

Of all the bands, gamma rays have the shortest wavelength and so the largest photon energy h u, which makes them the most penetrating and the most strongly ionising.

Radiotherapy therefore aims gamma rays, for example from a cobalt source, at the tumour.

So gamma rays are the ones used to destroy cancer cells.

Why the other options are wrong

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