The Electromagnetic Spectrum by Year 12 Physics Students

What is the Electromagnetic Spectrum? by Vinnoja Thurairethinam Most of us are used to considering situations that we could either visualize or had some way of getting a feel for what the physical situation is. When it comes to electromagnetic waves, we cannot see them or sense many of them. And the only way to […]

Eclipse Watch March 2015

Despite heavy cloud and very real prospect of not seeing the eclipse, students were taken out of their normal lessons and gathered together to experience the eclipse. There was a palpable excitement as students from years 7-13 discussed what the eclipse was and why it was happening and what we would expect to see. […]

The Centre of the Cell

On Wednesday 4th February, Year 7 students visited The Centre of the Cell with Mr Miranda, Ms Janagan and Mr Pitchforth. The Centre of the Cell is based at the Whitechapel Campus of Queen Mary University and is the first science education centre in the world to be located within working biomedical research laboratories. […]

Year 13 BTEC trip to Northwick Park Hospital

The importance of radiation safety to the treatment of malignant disease with radiotherapy The BTEC students need to know how to deal with radiation safely. Effect of x-rays http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X-ray#Adverse_effects Diagnostic X-rays (primarily from CT scans due to the large dose used) increase the risk of developmental problems and cancer in those exposed. X rays are […]

Year 13 BTEC trip to Northwick Park Hospital

Nuclear magnetic resonance imaging The mobile MRI unit at Northwick Park Hospital https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MiL0wCZr0Mw http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnetic_resonance_imaging Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), nuclear magnetic resonance imaging (NMRI), or magnetic resonance tomography (MRT) is a medical imaging technique used in radiology to investigate the anatomy and physiology of the body in both health and disease. MRI scanners use strong magnetic […]

Year 13 BTEC trip to Northwick Park Hospital

How radiopharmaceuticals are used in medicine The BTEC students need to know about how radiopharmaceuticals are used in diagnostic imaging but this article also looks at how they can be used in the treatment of disease. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_medicine Nuclear medicine is a medical specialty involving the application of radioactive substances (radioactive isotopes or radioisotopes) in the […]

Year 13 BTEC trip to Northwick Park Hospital

PET in Medical Physics http://www.iop.org/education/teacher/resources/teaching-medical-physics/positron/page_56317.html http://www.ipem.ac.uk/Portals/0/Images/02%20Spotlight%20on%20Positron%20Electron%20Tomography%20Computerised%20Tomography%20Imaging.pdf http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Positron_emission_tomography https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2oD05S-s7UE Positron emission tomography (PET) is a nuclear medicine, functional imaging technique that produces a three-dimensional image of functional processes in the body using beta+ emitting isotopes. The isotope decays emitting a positron (which is a positive electron, also called a beta+ particle, and is a particle of […]

Year 13 BTEC trip to Northwick Park Hospital

The BTEC students at Rooks Heath also need to know about the uses of X-rays and gamma rays in the treatment of cancer. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radiosurgery http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/External_beam_radiotherapy http://www.royalmarsden.nhs.uk/cancer-information/treatment/pages/radiotherapy.aspx http://www.patient.co.uk/doctor/radiotherapy http://www.ipem.ac.uk/CareersTraining/Whatdoourmembersdo/Radiotherapy.aspx Radiation is not just used for diagnosis, but for treating cancer as well. This is called radiotherapy. High energy radiation (x and gamma rays) are used. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u0Dj4Sf8pzQ#t=299 […]

Year 13 BTEC trip to Northwick Park Hospital

CT Scanners The above CT scanner is used in Northwick Park Hospital http://www.radiologyinfo.org/en/info.cfm?pg=pet http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medical_imaging#Tomography Tomography is the method of imaging a single plane, or slice, of an object resulting in a tomogram. There are two principal methods of obtaining such images, conventional and computer assisted tomography. Conventional tomography uses mechanical means to record an image […]

Year 13 BTEC trip to Northwick Park Hospital

X Rays BTEC students also need to know about the production and control of X-rays. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X-ray http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radiography X-ray radiation is a form of electromagnetic radiation (photons). Most X-rays have a wavelength ranging from 0.01 to 10 nanometres, corresponding to frequencies in the range 30 petahertz to 30 exahertz (3 × E16 Hz to 3 × […]