Jason Stavros, age 10, of Bethlehem, Pa., for his question:

HOW CAN RADIATION HURT YOU?

While radiation is necessary for life on earth as we know it, it can also destroy life. The tiny amount of ultraviolet radiation from the sun that penetrates the atmosphere, for example, can cause painful and in some cases serious sunburn.

People who are exposed to X rays should also take special care since radiation can penetrate the body without producing any sensation. When your dentist X rays your teeth, he stands aside from the machine when he turns it on. He has you hold the film inside your mouth. The two or so X rays you take during the year won't hurt you, but the several hundred he administers could cause him serious injury.

Radiation can hurt you by breaking down the chemical bonds that keep a balance in your body's cells.