Article
Article
Nuclear radiation
Article By:
Winger, Jeff Allen Department of Physics and Astronomy, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, Mississippi.
Last reviewed:June 2020
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1036/1097-8542.459800
The term nuclear radiation was originally used to denote the ionizing radiations observed from naturally occurring radioactive materials. In simplest terms, radiation is energy given off by an object. This energy can take a number of different forms and is not limited to nuclear radiation. For example, a lightbulb radiates energy in the form of light and heat. Nuclear radiation specifically refers to radiation emanating from an atomic nucleus caused by radioactive decay, nuclear fission, or nuclear reactions. Thus, the criterion for nuclear radiation is that a nuclear process is involved in its production. See also: Atomic nucleus; Nuclear fission; Nuclear reaction; Radioactivity
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