Radiation

• Alpha radiation consists of alpha particles, which are helium nuclei consisting of two protons and two neutrons.
• Beta particles are high-energy electrons or positrons emitted from atomic nuclei.
• Gamma rays are high-energy electromagnetic waves with no mass or charge.
• Beta radiation is emitted by unstable atoms that have too many or too few neutrons to be stable.
• Radiation can be classified as ionizing or nonionizing based on its ability to remove electrons from atoms.
• Ionizing radiation has enough energy to remove an electron from its atom.
• Radiation can cause ionization, where it removes an electron from its atom.
• Alpha travels short distance and is blocked by paper
• Beta negative travels moderate distance
• Gamma travels long distance in air
• Gamma has the highest penetrating power
• Gamma rays are considered nuclear because radiation is created within the nucleus
• When Radium-223 undergoes alpha decay it turns into Radon-219
• When Carbon-14 undergoes beta negative decay, it turns into Nitrogen-14
• Mg-23 undergoes beta-positive decay it turns into sodium-23
• The atomic mass does not change through radiation decay