Basic Types of Radiation: Alpha, Beta & Gamma

Few things cause as much fear as radiation, there are countless horror movies that use radiation as a plot device to turn some mild mannered man into a huge angry monster -- Godzilla, the Hulk, the 50 foot woman, Spider man, even Superman's power's were caused by cosmic radiation. Radiation is like congress and spending cuts, it sounds good on TV but the facts are much different than what you see.

In fact, as a hazardous material technician, I would MUCH rather deal with a radiological release than any other hazardous material for several reasons.
Radiological contamination is much easier to find with instruments than the typical hazardous chemical.

Due to the nature of radiological materials, I can protect myself with a basic knowledge of chemistry. The inverse square law helps me know how close I can get without injury. We can also create shielding to protect me from radiological exposure. As a matter of fact in many of the most common radiological exposures can be dealt with without wearing protective gear other than a dust mask and a paper suit.

Rain and other environmental factors can make a chemical spill much worse. For example moisture can turn chlorine gas into hydrochloric acid or hypochlorous acid; where as a radiological material's properties are not changed by the weather making it a lot more predictable.

However, the purpose of this article is not to be a cheerleader for radiation, but rather to give a simple explanation of the types of radiation most commonly encountered by a citizen.

Basically radiation is energy travelling through material. Light, heat, radio and microwaves are all radiating out from their sources. Radiation is all around you, but that radiation is divided into two basic classes, ionizing and non-iodizing radiation.

If the radiation that has enough energy to knock around atoms in a molecule and cause them to vibrate, but not enough to actually kick electrons out of the molecule, is referred to as ""non-ionizing radiation."" Examples of this kind of radiation include visible light and microwaves.

If the radiation is powerful to bounce electrons out from their atoms it is "ionizing" because it creates ions. When we thing our "radiation" this is the type we normally thing about.

[dushyant.kverma]

I am an IT professional and have gone through many videos to understand radioactivity but it was hard to understand as majority of them trying to teach chemistry but your talks was so simple that I understood what is radioactivity, alpha beta and gama particles in a nutshell. Thank you for sharing. I am glad I was this video

[spaceydragonmanga]

This wasn't over complex from the way radiation was explained, I applaud you for explaining the three types of radiation. I'm subbing(:

[thREVOLUZION]

this is the best educational video ive seen

[ChopShop]

A great introduction on radiation. Been pulling my hair out searching for an understandable introduction. Will relisten and give it some more thought. Then go read more. Thanks.

[deckoland]

thanking you for teaching me something today of use!

[AIRburst]

@TNGun ok, JUST TO CLARIFY, im 16 years old. First, " Do you disagree that a large amount of water can stop gamma", yes unless your talking about 25+ meters (unrealistic ammount) then yes, i have 3 gieger counters and have been able to detect solar radiation from my bothers three story house basement (my brother is a nuclear engineer at hanford). Secondly, yes neutrons can be created in many ways, just last month i did an experiment using aluminum foil and multiple americium-241 sources.

[theycallmefibb]

The fact that you can hear it contradicts your fear of it.

[maskedmage]

good video it has a really high pitch sound in the background thought that gave me a headache.

[TNGun]

@AIRburst95 I went to RERO and ARIO (Radiological Emergency Response Operations, Modular Emergency Radiological Response Training Train the Trainer, Radiological Emergency Worker Training, FEMA G320, I have been to CTOS training and stood at ground Zero of historical a nuclear test detonations at the WMD Rad/Nuc HazMat Technicians Course. as well as hundreds of hours of other COBRA/WMD/Haz Mat courses. You read a book and listened to your brother tell tales.

[CactusScarfProductions]

i hope that high pitch sound in the background is not radiation and going thru my brain >_<

[TNGun]

@AIRburst95 Once again, I am talking basics, what typically will be encountered. What the typical person can do to protect themselves. You are an arrogant little cuss that doesn't really understand what your talking about. You watched the video trying to find something to complain about, which kept you from truly understanding what I am saying. THEN you admit to breaking several portions of the 10 CFR by building an unlicensed radiological device - which by definition is a WMD.

[joeyjennings]

im thinking this will get more views in 2022 🚀🌎🌋🙏

[AIRburst]

@TNGun since when does reading books about nuclear chemistry make people jump on topics to find problems. I was simply watching a video tied to my favorite uploader bionerd and saw that you are misleading people, if you don't know what your talking about then don't upload an informative video

[AIRburst]

Lol, he forgot to mention secondary ionization, eg: delta, epsilon etc.

[scotticus]

He is so vague that he doesnt make sense