Radiation Pollution Radiation and ionization Radiation is defined
- Slides: 4
Radiation Pollution Radiation and ionization Radiation is defined as energy that travels through space or matter in the form of a particle or wave. It can be produced in one of two ways:
It can be produced in one of two ways: 1 - By radioactive decay of an unstable atom (radionuclide) 2 - By the interaction of a particle with matter. Some attributes of radioactive decay are that it is spontaneous and random, and the type of radiation emitted depends on the specific radionuclide.
Radiation emission as the result of an interaction, on the other hand, depends on both the incoming particle and the material it hits Radiation is described by its type and energy. The types of radiation fall into two main categories: particulate and electromagnetic. Particulate radiation consists of particles that have mass and energy, and may or may not have an electric charge. Examples of particulate radiation include alpha particles, protons, beta particles, and neutrons.
Electromagnetic radiation, on the other hand, consists of photons that have energy, but no mass or charge. Visible light, ultraviolet light, x-rays, and gamma rays are all photons. • The most common unit of energy used to describe radiation is the electronvolt (e. V).
