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Cleo - thats correct - the radiation (actually what we call contamination) dissipates very quickly - the primary nuclides released during an atom bomb explosion last a few hours with some small amounts lasting longer and getting deposited worldwide - thats why I mentioned the deer hunters earlier - they are still eating cesium left over from the atomic tests of the 1950s in the soil/plants
The news media (and hence the people that are listening seem to confuse things as well)
Contamination is the actual material that gets blown airborne - radiation is the energy that comes from it - the way I use to explain to my students was that if you step in a pile of dog poop - the poop on your shoe is the contamination and the smell is the radiation emitted from that material.
You will hear stories where people are showered after being contaminated (although the news will say they washed radiation off of them which is actually totally impossible - it would be like taking a shower to wash off light after youve been outside)
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