Ionizing radiation causes cancer by Select one: a. forming ions, causing reactions that mutate DNA b. forming ions, causing reactions that mutate bacteria c. forming ions, causing reactions that form products that cancer cells eat d. forming ions, causing reactions that result in the breakdown of mitochondrial phospholipid bilayers Previous page

a. forming ions, causing reactions that mutate DNA

Explanation:

Ionizing radiation is a type of energy released by atoms in the form of electromagnetic waves or particles. The spontaneous decay of atoms is called radioactivity, and the surplus energy emitted is a form of ionizing radiation. The unstable elements that decay and emit ionizing radiation are called radionuclides.

Exposure of a human being to certain doses of ionizing radiation can cause irreparable changes in the structure of their DNA, that is, in the genes that control the function of cells, and therefore cause a series of changes that can lead to a cancer.