Final answer:
Stochastic effects of ionizing radiation are random, with risks that increase with dose, including cancer and genetic changes. The correct answers are no threshold, genetic effects, cancer, most late effects, and no safe dose, reflecting the potential dangers of any exposure level.
Step-by-step explanation:
The stochastic effects of ionizing radiation are those health effects that occur randomly and for which the probability of the effect occurring, rather than its severity, increases with increasing radiation dose. The main stochastic effects are cancer and genetic effects. The correct answers associated with stochastic effects are:
- No threshold - This implies that even the smallest amount of radiation can potentially lead to stochastic effects.
- Genetic effects - These can be changes in DNA that affect the next generation.
- Cancer - Ionizing radiation has been linked to increased risk of various forms of cancer.
- Most late effects - These occur months or years after the exposure; cancer is a late effect of radiation.
- No safe dose - Reflects the linear hypothesis that any dose of ionizing radiation carries some risk of causing stochastic effects like cancer and genetic changes.
Stochastic effects are nonlinear and cumulative, meaning the risk of effects like cancer increases with cumulative radiation dose over time. The incidence of radiation-induced stochastic effects, such as cancer, is well-documented in atomic bomb survivors, with illnesses showing up years after the initial exposure. These stochastic effects can be contrasted with the deterministic effects of ionizing radiation, which typically include more immediate types of damage like skin burns and radiation sickness.