Ionizing Radiation - Law Dictionary Search Results
Home Dictionary Name: ionizing radiationIonization
the process of converting neutral atoms or molecules into ions The process may occur by dissolving an ionic substance in a dissociating solvent such as water or by adding or subtracting an electron to or from an atom or molecule The latter process occurs for example in an electron beam in a mass spectrometer and by interaction of substances with ionizing radiation...
ionizing radiation
rays of rapidly moving subatomic particles x reys or gamma rays sufficiently energetic to cause ionization when absorbed by matter...
radioactivity
a form of instability which is a property of the atomic nuclei of certain isotopes which causes a spontaneous change in the structure of the nucleus accompanied by emission of energetic radiation The radiation emitted is usually sufficient to cause ionization in matter through which it passes and is therefore called ionizing radiation The radiation emitted by most radioactive substances is one of three types alpha rays beta rays or gamma rays Some chemical elements have no stable isotopes and these are referred to as radioactive elements and the element itself is said to possess radioactivity...
Roumlntgen ray
An X ray originally the term was applied to any of the rays produced when cathode rays strike upon surface of a solid as the wall of the vacuum tube but now it refers specifically to electromagnetic radiation having wavelengths from 10 3 nm to 10 nm immediately below ultraviolet radiation on the wavelength scale Roumlntgen rays are noted for their penetration of opaque substances as wood and flesh their action on photographic plates and their fluorescent effects They were called X rays by their discoverer W K Roumlntgen They are one of the forms of ionizing radiation which can have damaging effects on living cells They also ionize gases but cannot be reflected or polarized or deflected by a magnetic field They are used in examining opaque objects especially in medicine for visualizing organs and other objects inside the human body as for locating fractures or bullets and examining internal organs for abnormalities...
dosimeter badge
a dosimeter cosisting of a radiation sensitive material such as film worn in a small package on a persons clothing to record the accumulated radiation exposure of the person over a period of time used to monitor the exposure of individuals such as workers in a nuclear power plant to ionizing radiation...
Beta rays
a form of ionizing radiation emitted by radioactive substances such as radium more penetrating than alpha rays and consisting of negatively charged electrons The electrons are the same kind of particle as those of cathode rays but have much higher velocities about 35000 to 180000 miles per second They are readily deflected by a magnetic or electric field...
carcinogenic
Causing or tending to cause cancer as the carcinogenic action of certain chemicals or of ionizing radiation...
mutagen
A chemical compound or other external influence such as ionizing radiation which causes mutations3...
Rad
a unit of measurement of the amount of ionizing radiation absorbed by an object equal to an energy of 100 ergs per gram of irradiated material equal to 001 gray...
Radiator
That which radiates or emits rays whether of light or heat especially that part of a heating apparatus from which the heat is radiated or diffused as a steam radiator...
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