Biophysics & Medical Physics answer page. Browse every topic
Biophysics & Medical Physics FAQ

Radiation therapy uses high-energy photons or particles to:

Selectively destroy cancer cells by ionising DNA. Radiotherapy deposits ionising radiation in tumour cells, causing double-strand DNA breaks that prevent replication.

Short Answer

Selectively destroy cancer cells by ionising DNA is the best answer.

Biophysics questions work best when you translate anatomy or instrumentation back into plain physics: pressure gradients, flow, diffusion, energy deposition, imaging contrast, and signal-to-noise.

Radiotherapy deposits ionising radiation in tumour cells, causing double-strand DNA breaks that prevent replication.

Why This Answer Is Correct

This is a Medium-level question in Biophysics & Medical Physics. The prompt is really testing whether you can connect the concept to its defining physical relationship instead of picking a nearby-but-wrong term.

Clinical wording can hide a simple physics core. Strip the scenario down to transport, force, energy, or measurement first.

Choices At A Glance

  • A. Diagnose tumours
  • B. Selectively destroy cancer cells by ionising DNA
  • C. Mark cells with radioisotopes
  • D. Reduce inflammation

When similar options appear on an exam, eliminate the ones that break the core law, use the wrong units, or confuse a definition with a consequence.

Topic Snapshot

Topic: Biophysics & Medical Physics

Difficulty: Medium

Best next move: Re-state the governing law in your own words, then solve one more example from the same topic before moving on.