Nuclear Radiation




                                              

                                                                                                   Photo from world-nuclear.org


Think of everything as the transfer of energy.

 

As we all ready know for physics class, every thing is energy. Energy can’t be destroyed nor created, only the transfer of energy from one state to another is observed. Nuclear radiations story is nothing more than a chapter in the story of energy.

 

Radiation is the energy given of by a source; this energy emitted can take forms such as light, heat, and sub-atomic partials. But lets focus on ionizing radiation, which occurs when an atom has to much mass or energy causing it to be unstable. An unstable Atom always earns to be a stable atom, and in order for it to be stable the extra energy, mass, or both energy and mass must be emitted. 

 

The emission of energy by unstable atoms can take many forms so lets take a look at some which we will visit again in other sections of this website.  Electromagnetic emissions such as light, Gamma rays and X-rays are characteristics of unstable atoms giving of energy. Yet when unstable atoms give of particulates such as Alpha and Beta particles they are giving off tiny bits of mass. All these emissions are defined as radiation.