system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
How is it that radiation suits protect people?

Maybe this is TV magic and I don't know what a real suit looks like but it seems like people become immune to radiation when they put on these thin plastic suits. How is it that radiation can be so dangerous and yet so easily dealt with.
gpt
The radiation suits you typically see don't block a lot of radiation. To understand their purpose, you first need to know what happens in a nuclear incident or any other situation where radiation exposure is a risk.

Essentially, radiation is emitted by unstable particles that decay (the radioactive material). Normally, we like to keep these particles contained, but after, for example, an explosion, these particles can be spread all around or even be airborne for some time after the event.

When you enter an affected area unprotected, the amount of radiation you'll take in during your presence is only a small part of the problem. The larger issue comes from particles that end up in your clothes, on your skin or even in your lungs after you breathe them in. These particles cause a continuous exposure to radiation even after you leave the affected area. Especially ingested particles are dangerous, as the radiation emitted by those can directly affect your internal bits, whereas radiation originating outside of your body still has to pass through your skin and muscle tissue (though it can already do damage there).

So the main purpose of a radiation suit is to avoid taking too much radioactive material with you.