Under the patronage of the Dean of the College of Science for Women, Professor Dr. Samira Naji Kadhim, the Continuing Education Unit, in cooperation with the Department of Physics, organized a training course entitled “The Importance of Electromagnetic Radiation.” The course was delivered by Assistant Professor Dr. Ali Dawood, Lecturer Farah Fares, and Assistant Lecturer Sarah Talal in Al-Hakeem Hall, with the attendance of a number of faculty members, staff, and students of the department.
The course included a historical overview of the development of atomic structure discovery, starting from the belief that the atom was the smallest indivisible unit, to the discovery of X-rays, cathode rays, and radioactivity, which confirmed the existence of shared components in the atoms of elements. The concept of radioactivity was explained as a natural phenomenon in which unstable atomic nuclei decay, releasing energy in the form of alpha and beta particles or electromagnetic waves such as gamma rays. The lecturers also referred to measuring decay rate in becquerels and its types according to particle interaction with magnetic fields.
The presenters highlighted the role of radiation in various scientific applications, especially in the medical field through diagnosis and treatment using radioactive isotopes, such as iodine-131 for thyroid diseases, cancer treatment using gamma rays, and sterilization of medical tools and products. The course also reviewed the importance of radiation in agricultural development through food preservation and treatment of feed contamination, in addition to its environmental role in waste treatment at airports and ports and sulfur removal from natural gas before transport.
The course received positive engagement and appreciation from attendees due to its scientific and educational value.
