Final answer:
Ionising radiation damages DNA by causing single and double-strand breaks, leading to altered genetic codes which can result in cancer and hereditary diseases. This type of radiation is potent, as it can penetrate skin and disrupt normal cell function and growth. Interestingly, while it can cause cancer, it can also be used to treat it due to its effectiveness against rapidly reproducing cancer cells.
Step-by-step explanation:
Ionising radiation affects genes by causing damage to DNA molecules, which contain our genetic material. Gamma-rays, a form of ionising radiation, are particularly powerful because they can penetrate the skin and cause alterations in DNA, including the induction of double-strand breaks. These breaks are highly detrimental because they can lead to cancer and hereditary diseases, as they are considered the most significant lesion by which ionising radiation can cause such ailments. Ionising radiation affects molecules within cells and disrupts the normal functioning of the cell by hindering its ability to reproduce and carry out necessary processes.
This can lead to the generation of cells with abnormal structures, often resulting in cancerous growths due to the transformed genetic code that no longer regulates cell growth appropriately.Radiation exposure can also cause single- and double-stranded breaks in DNA through the formation of hydroxyl radicals, and modify bases by deamination, causing somatic or genetic damage. The effects of ionising radiation on biological tissue are profound but can also be harnessed therapeutically, as they have a greater impact on rapidly reproducing cancer cells, allowing the use of radiation to treat and potentially cure cancer while causing more harm to diseased cells than to normal ones.