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Radiation and Radioactivity
Radiation is energy traveling in the form of particles or waves in bundles
of energy called photons. Some everyday examples are microwaves used to
cook food, radio waves for radio and television, light, and x-rays used
in medicine.
Radioactivity is a natural and spontaneous process by which the unstable
atoms of an element emit or radiate excess energy in the form of particles
or waves. These emissions are collectively called ionizing radiations. Depending
on how the nucleus loses this excess energy either a lower energy atom of
the same form will result, or a completely different nucleus and atom can
be formed.
Ionization is a particular characteristic of the radiation produced when
radioactive elements decay. These radiations are of such high energy that
when they interact with materials, they can remove electrons from the atoms
in the material. This effect is the reason why ionizing radiation is hazardous
to health, and provides the means by which radiation can be detected.
Our glossary with definitions of more terms
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