What are properties of emitted radiation?

Answer 1

Ionizing radiation consists of subatomic particles or electromagnetic waves that are energetic enough to detach electrons from atoms or molecules, ionizing them. The occurrence of ionization depends on the energy of the impinging individual particles or waves, and not on their number. An intense flood of particles or waves will not cause ionization if these particles or waves do not carry enough energy to be ionizing. Roughly speaking, particles or photons with energies above a few electron volts (eV) are ionizing.

Answer 2

Gamma radiation is very high-energy ionizing radiation. Gamma photons have about 10,000 times as much energy as the photons in the visible range of the electromagnetic spectrum. Gamma photons have no mass and no electrical charge--they are pure electromagnetic energy. Because of their high energy, gamma photons travel at the speed of light and can cover hundreds to thousands of meters in air before spending their energy. They can pass through many kinds of materials, including human tissue. Very dense materials, such as lead, are commonly used as shielding to slow or stop gamma photons. Their wave lengths are so short that they must be measured in nanometers, billionths of a meter. They range from 3/100ths to 3/1,000ths of a nanometer.
Gamma radiation is in the form of electromagnetic waves, and so is in a spectrum that includes x-rays; ultraviolet, visible, and infrared light; microwaves; and radio waves.

Gamma radiation is very penetrating, relative to alpha and beta particles.

It can easily do damage to a person's body, especially if it ionizes atoms in chains of DNA, which can lead to tumors, cancer, and genetic damage. It can kill cells outright. The up side of this is that gamma radiation can be used to kill cancer cells and sterilize equipment.

It is difficult to shield, and the best shield is a lot of mass. Lead is a bit better than an equal weight of concrete. Surprisingly, a better shield than lead is uranium, because it is much more massive and only slightly radioactive, so it is used for shielding on military equipment such as tanks.

Answer 3

3 Types of Radioactive Emission

1) Alpha: Made up of two neutrons and two protons bound together identically to the nucleus of a Helium atom. Low penetration, biggest mass and charge. Very high ionising power. alpha radiation is not harmful because it is stopped quickly in the air. mass = 4, charge = +2

2) Beta: Made up of an electron with high energy and speed. Moderate penetration, smaller mass and charge than the alpha particle , can be stopped by an aluminium sheet. Moderate ionising power. mass = 1/1850, charge = -1

3) Gamma: Very short wavelength electromagnetic carries no electric charge and has virtually no mass. Very highly penetrating, smallest mass and charge, most stopped by a few centimetres of lead or a few metres of concrete. The lowest ionising power of the three, gamma radiation. mass = 0, charge = 0

Answer 4

Chargeless,high penetrating ability,EM waves