alpha ray
Weak penetrating radiation
Alpha rays are streams of alpha particles—helium nuclei consisting of two protons and two neutrons—emitted during radioactive decay.
They were among the first types of radiation identified, named "alpha" as the first letter of the Greek alphabet because they were the first discovered.
Alpha rays have high ionizing power but low penetrating ability; a sheet of paper or human skin can stop them.
They pose significant health risks only when alpha-emitting materials are inhaled or ingested.
- emissionDischarged substance or act
- isotopeElemental variant by mass
- atomic numberProton quantity per nucleus
- poloniumElement number eighty-four
- decayGradual organic breakdown
atom · radium · ionizing radiation · uranium · Rutherford · thorium · radiation shielding · lead shielding · nucleus · half-life · radioactivity · nuclear decay · particle physics · nuclear reaction · nuclear waste · Geiger counter · proton beam · radiation therapy
alpha raygamma ray
High-energy nuclear emission
gamma radiation · X-ray · beta ray · beta radiation · beta particle
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