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'Radiation' as used in physics, is energy in the form of waves or moving subatomic particles. Radiation can be ''ionizing'' or ''non-ionizing radiation'', depending on its effect on atomic matter. The most common use of the word "radiation" refers to ionizing radiation. Ionizing radiation has enough energy to ionize atoms or molecules while non-ionizing radiation does not. ''Radioactive material'' is a physical material that emits ionizing radiation.

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Types of Radiation

See also

Types of Radiation

★ Electromagnetic radiation: (Energy in the form of electromagnetic waves or photons.)

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★ Non-ionizing

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★ Radio waves

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★ Microwave radiation, familiar to those who use microwave ovens.

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★ Infrared radiation (IR), produced by heat

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★ Visible light

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★ Ultraviolet radiation (UV)

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★ Ionizing

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★ X-rays, used in radiography for medical diagnosis

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★ Gamma radiation, usually emitted by radioactive atoms

★ Particle radiation: (Energy in the form of moving subatomic particles.)

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★ Alpha radiation, composed of the nuclei of helium-4 atoms

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★ Beta radiation, consisting of energetic electrons or positrons

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★ Neutron radiation, consisting of neutrons

See also

★ Background radiation, which actually refers to the background ionizing radiation

★ Cosmic microwave background radiation, 3K blackbody radiation that fills the Universe

★ Radiant energy, radiation emitted by a source into the surrounding environment.

★ Radiation damage - adverse effects on materials and devices

★ Radiation hormesis - dosage threshold damage theory

★ Radiation poisoning - adverse effects on life forms

★ Radiation hardening - making devices resistant to failure in high radiation environments

★ Radioactive contamination

★ Radioactive decay

★ Hawking radiation

★ Cherenkov radiation

★ Cyclotron radiation

★ Synchrotron radiation

★ Radiation reaction