Canadian Medical Guide > Physical Sciences > Natural Sciences > Physics > Radiation > Radiation, Ionizing Terms and Definitions

Radiation, Ionizing

Medical Definition:	Electromagnetic or corpuscular radiation capable of producing ions, directly or indirectly, in its passage through matter. The wavelengths are equal to or smaller than those of short (far) ultraviolet radiation and include gamma and X-rays and high-energy elementary particles.
Guide Notes:	as NIM: Manual 19.8.60, 28.11.1; when not to use: Manual 21.16; no qualif; /adv eff = RADIATION INJURIES but see note there
Previously Indexed:	Radiation (1966-1975)

Radiation, Ionizing Categories.

	Background Radiation - Radiation from sources other than the source of interest. It is due to cosmic rays and natural radioactivity in the environment.
	Gamma Rays - Very powerful and penetrating, high-energy electromagnetic radiation of shorter wavelength than that of x-rays. They are emitted by a decaying nucleus, usually between 0.01 and 10 MeV. They are also called nuclear x-rays.
	X-Rays - Penetrating electromagnetic radiation emitted when the inner orbital electrons of an atom are excited and release energy - in the same energy range as gamma rays (0.010-10 Mev), but of non-nuclear origin, of shorter wavelength than ultraviolet; soft x-rays or Grenz rays are less penetrating and longer in wavelength than hard x-rays.

Radiation, Ionizing Medical Definitions and Terms

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