Content Objectives
In their past Chemistry classes, students in Physiology have learned that energy can be absorbed, stored, and released in chemical bonds. In Human Physiology, we often do not give much time and focus on the uses of energy beyond the breaking of food in the digestive system to gain energy. In fact, there are other forms of energy Physiology students will be exposed to during the year. These are chemical energy, mechanical energy, radiant energy, and electrical energy. Mechanical energy focuses on energy utilized in muscle systems. Electrical energy is found in nerve cells and muscles cells which provides the energy to stimulate muscles and fuels nerve pathways. All these different energy forms are important for Physiology students to understand. This unit will, instead, focus on energies associated with ultraviolet (UV), alpha, beta, and gamma radiation. I will provide a background of each type of radiation and discuss the sources for each along with the benefits and consequences of its use.
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