Physics radiation

• The energy released by the decay is carried away as electromagnetic waves.
• Alpha particles are helium nuclei, which consist of two protons and two neutrons bound together.
• Beta minus particles are negatively charged electrons that have been emitted from an atom's nucleus during radioactive decay.
• Beta minus (β-) decay occurs when an unstable atom emits an electron from its nucleus to become more stable.
• When beta minus decay happens, the number of protons increases by one while the mass number remains constant.
• Gamma rays are high-energy photons with no charge or mass.
• X-rays are also high-energy photons but can be absorbed by matter to produce ionizing radiation.
• X-rays are similar to gamma rays but are generated artificially using accelerated electrons hitting metal targets.
• Gamma rays are used in medical imaging techniques like CT scans and PET scans.
• Gamma rays can be produced through nuclear reactions such as alpha particle emission, beta particle emission, and fission.
• X-rays are also used in medical imaging but have lower energies than gamma rays.
• Ionization is the process whereby atoms lose electrons due to collisions with energetic particles such as alpha, beta, gamma, or X-ray photons.