The Different Types of Radiation

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The Different Types of Radiation

There are four types radiation: alpha radiation, beta radiation, and

gamma radiation. Neutron radiation is also encountered in nuclear

power plants and high-altitude flight and emitted from some industrial

radioactive sources.

[IMAGE][IMAGE][IMAGE]Alpha Radiation

Alpha radiation is a heavy, very short-range particle, and actually an

ejected helium nucleus. Alpha radiation is not able to penetrate human

skin, but Alpha-emitting materials can be harmful to humans if the

materials are inhaled, swallowed, or absorbed through open wounds. A

variety of instruments have been designed to measure alpha radiation.

An example is a thin window Geiger-Mueller (GM) probe which can detect

the presence of alpha radiation. Although, Instruments cannot detect

alpha radiation through even a thin layer of water, dust, paper, or

other material, because alpha radiation is not penetrating. Alpha

radiation travels only a few inches in air, but is not an external

hazard. Some examples of alpha emitters are: radium, radon, uranium,

and thorium.

Beta Radiation

Beta radiation is a light, short-range particle, and actually an

ejected electron. Beta radiation may travel several feet in air and is

moderately penetrating. Beta radiation can also penetrate human skin

to the "germinal layer," where new skin cells are produced. If high

levels of beta emitting sources are allowed to remain on the skin for

a certain period of time, they may cause a skin injury. Most beta

emitters can be detected with a survey instrument and a thin-window GM

probe. Some beta emitters, however, produce very low-energy, poor

penetrating radiation that may be difficult or impossible to detect.

Examples of some pure beta emitters: strontium-90, carbon-14 and

tritium.

Gamma Radiation

Gamma radiation or x rays are very long range, penetrating

electromagnetic radiation. Gamma radiation is able to travel many feet

in air and many inches in human tissue. It readily penetrates most

materials and is sometimes called "penetrating" radiation. X rays are

like gamma rays. X rays, too, are penetrating radiation. Sealed

radioactive sources and machines that emit gamma radiation and x-rays

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