Final answer:
The biological effects of contaminants and their manifestation over time. It covers immediate to long-term impacts, requiring diagnostic tests for assessment, and discusses concepts like acute and chronic effects and half-life in relation to exposure.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question hints towards an understanding of the biological effects of contaminants, specifically how they manifest across different timescales. At the physical phase (10^-15 seconds), effects are immediate, while the chemical phase (10^-10 - 1 second) deals with chemical interactions and reactions. The biological phase illustrates the effects within a timeframe from seconds to years after the initial contact with a contaminant.
Diagnostic tests are necessary to identify and quantify these effects, particularly due to the complexities involved in discerning the more subtle and long-term changes that may not be immediately evident. For example, an acute effect happens quickly post-exposure, whereas a chronic effect results from long-term exposure and the impacts might not be observed until years later.
The language of the question also refers to concepts like half-life, phase changes such as condensation and freezing, and the doses of radiation exposure, which are critical in assessing immediate and long-term effects of radiation on the human body. In summary, the subject encompasses various physical, chemical, and biological responses of the body to different types, intensities, and durations of contaminant exposures.