21 Facts About Ionizing radiation

Ionizing radiation, including nuclear radiation, consists of subatomic particles or electromagnetic waves that have sufficient energy to ionize atoms or molecules by detaching electrons from them.

Ionizing radiation is generated artificially by X-ray tubes, particle accelerators, and nuclear fission.

Ionizing radiation is not immediately detectable by human senses, so instruments such as Geiger counters are used to detect and measure it.

Ionizing radiation is used in a wide variety of fields such as medicine, nuclear power, research, and industrial manufacturing, but presents a health hazard if proper measures against excessive exposure are not taken.

Two of the first types of directly ionizing radiation to be discovered are alpha particles which are helium nuclei ejected from the nucleus of an atom during radioactive decay, and energetic electrons, which are called beta particles.

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However, this type of Ionizing radiation is significantly absorbed by the Earth's atmosphere, which is a Ionizing radiation shield equivalent to about 10 meters of water.

Positrons are common artificial sources of ionizing radiation used in medical positron emission tomography scans.

Indirectly ionizing radiation is electrically neutral and does not interact strongly with matter, therefore the bulk of the ionization effects are due to secondary ionization.

Ionizing radiation can accelerate existing chemical reactions such as polymerization and corrosion, by contributing to the activation energy required for the reaction.

Proton Ionizing radiation found in space can cause single-event upsets in digital circuits.

For example, ionizing radiation is one cause of chronic myelogenous leukemia, although most people with CML have not been exposed to radiation.

Neutron Ionizing radiation is essential to the working of nuclear reactors and nuclear weapons.

The penetrating power of x-ray, gamma, beta, and positron Ionizing radiation is used for medical imaging, nondestructive testing, and a variety of industrial gauges.

The sterilizing effects of ionizing radiation are useful for cleaning medical instruments, food irradiation, and the sterile insect technique.

Ionizing radiation is generated through nuclear reactions, nuclear decay, by very high temperature, or via acceleration of charged particles in electromagnetic fields.

Dose from cosmic Ionizing radiation is largely from muons, neutrons, and electrons, with a dose rate that varies in different parts of the world and based largely on the geomagnetic field, altitude, and solar cycle.

An important source of natural Ionizing radiation is radon gas, which seeps continuously from bedrock but can, because of its high density, accumulate in poorly ventilated houses.

Some human-made Ionizing radiation sources affect the body through direct Ionizing radiation, known as effective dose while others take the form of radioactive contamination and irradiate the body from within.

Medical procedures, such as diagnostic X-rays, nuclear medicine, and Ionizing radiation therapy are by far the most significant source of human-made Ionizing radiation exposure to the general public.

Hazardous levels of ionizing radiation are signified by the trefoil sign on a yellow background.

Red ionizing radiation warning symbol was launched in 2007, and is intended for IAEA Category 1,2 and 3 sources defined as dangerous sources capable of death or serious injury, including food irradiators, teletherapy machines for cancer treatment and industrial radiography units.