Radiation is a term in the area of Physics and means the energy propagation from one point to another in space or in a material medium, with a certain speed.
The energy-conducting elements determine the forms of electromagnetic or corpuscular radiation.
THE electromagnetic radiation is characterized by the oscillation between an electric field and a magnetic field and is classified according to the frequency of waves, the best known being: hertzian waves (from radio or TV), microwaves, infrared, ultraviolet, X-rays and gamma.
THE corpuscular radiation it consists of subatomic particles, the best known types being: electrons, protons, neutrons, deuterons and alpha and beta particles.
Radiation is produced naturally or artificially. In nature, ultraviolet radiation (UV rays) and infrared are those produced by bodies that have heat, with the Sun being the main source. Ultraviolet radiation can also be obtained artificially through fluorescent lamps or tanning beds.
Ionizing radiation
Ionizing radiation is the designation given to electromagnetic and corpuscular radiations, which, when they come into contact with matter, directly or indirectly cause the creation of ions. Depending on the amount of energy, the radiation can be ionizing (high energy level) or non-ionizing (low energy).
Ionizing radiation has numerous applications in human life: nuclear medicine (radiotherapy), diagnostic tests (X-ray), military industry, food preservation, agriculture, among others.
Any radiation can be harmful to health, taking into account the exposure time and the intensity of the radiation. However, inadequate exposure to ionizing radiation can cause serious harm to the health of people or animals.
nuclear radiation
Nuclear radiation (or radioactivity), is the radiation emitted by the disintegration of some chemical elements. Prolonged exposure to nuclear radiation can cause various injuries and illnesses, such as: burns (alpha radiation), infertility, blood diseases, brain diseases, gastrointestinal diseases, genetic mutations (mainly radiation range), etc.
