• Question: How does radiation damage DNA?

    Asked by Jemma to Remsha, Oliver, Lisa, Fiana on 16 Nov 2018.
    • Photo: Fiana

      Fiana answered on 16 Nov 2018:

      Radiation particles are able to tear apart DNA into pieces by force. This will break up the strands of DNA and cause them to stop working. Eventually the cell containing the damaged DNA will die

    • Photo: Remsha Afzal

      Remsha Afzal answered on 16 Nov 2018:

      Like Fiana said, radiation can damage DNA by forcing it apart. You might remember DNA is made of sugar bases right? A, G, C, and T. Radiation produces ‘radicals’ that can break the bonds in those bases. Usually DNA can repair itself because it has proteins that can replace the broken strands with new ones. but if the damage is too much then the cell will not be able to cope and die 🙁

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