It can penetrate air, paper or thin metal. It can be stopped by a thin sheet of aluminium. Beta radiationīeta radiation can penetrate air and paper. It can be stopped (or absorbed) by a sheet of paper or a human hand. Alpha radiationĪlpha radiation is the least penetrating. The thicker the substance, the more the radiation is absorbed.Īlpha, beta and gamma radiations penetrate materials in different ways.
This is because the particles or rays become more spread out. For example, alpha radiation travels only a few centimetres in air, beta radiation travels tens of centimetres in air, and gamma radiation travels very large distances.Īll types of radiation become less intense as they travel further away from the radioactive material. This cluster, the alpha particle (), sometimes goes by the. Radiation can be absorbed by substances in its path. When an atom undergoes alpha decay, its nucleus emits a cluster of two protons and two neutrons. Two protons and two neutrons bound together (identical to a helium nucleus)Ī neutral subatomic particle from a nucleus Alpha radiation has little penetration ability, and is a low-risk to workers as a source of external exposure however, it is a significant health hazard if ingested, inhaled, or absorbed through broken skin. The table shows some features of the four main types of radiation: Type of radiation Alpha particles are the largest and most highly charged form of radiation energy. The particles or rays they give off are types of radiation. Substances containing unstable atoms are described as radioactive. electromagnetic radiation as gamma rays.When this happens, they emit particles or rays, including: Alpha particles have a positive charge and are identical with helium nuclei and consist of two protons and two neutrons. However, some atomic nuclei are unstable and may change or break down. If an atomic nucleus does not change or break down, we say that it is stable.
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