Which radiation is most penetrating

When a radiation particle interacts with atoms, the interaction can cause the atom to lose electrons and thus become ionized. The greater the likelihood that damage will occur by an interaction is the ionizing power of the radiation.

Much of the threat from radiation is involved with the ease or difficulty of protecting oneself from the particles. How thick of wall do you need to hide behind to be safe? The ability of each type of radiation to pass through matter is expressed in terms of penetration power. The more material the radiation can pass through, the greater the penetration power and the more dangerous they are.

In general, the greater mass present the greater the ionizing power and the lower the penetration power. Comparing only the three common types of ionizing radiation, alpha particles have the greatest mass. Examples of these other partilcles are: protons, neutrons and positrons. We have already studied protons and neutrons. A positron is a particle emitted from the nucleus that has the same mass as an electron but has a positive charge.

The positron is represented by the symbol:. WikiLectures WikiLectures. Personal tools Not logged in Talk Contributions Log in. Thank you for your comments. Thank you for reviewing this article. Your review hasn't been inserted one review per article per day allowed! This article was checked by pedagogue. X-rays have very short wavelengths, so they can penetrate the soft tissues of the human body. Gamma rays, which have the shortest wavelengths of all electromagnetic radiation, have even greater penetrating power.

Particles called the neutrinos have no electrical charge and no measurable mass. Neutrinos are the most penetrating type of radiation. They can easily pass straight through the earth. How to Diffuse a Laser Beam. How to Convert Nanometers to Joules. Each type of radiation is caused by a decay either spontaneous - natural - or induced - a reaction has caused the decay.

The nuclei of some atoms are unstable, and will naturally undergo 'radioactive decay'. This causes the release of ionising radiation which allows the nucleus to become more stable. Atoms that do this are said to be radioactive.

A comparison of alpha, beta and gamma. Penetrating power Each type of radiation has a different ability to penetrate materials. The range of the alpha radiation in an absorbing material is less than that of beta or gamma. The alpha radiation transfers more energy to an absorber than beta or gamma radiation.