Blog | Radiation Basics

Radiation is the emission or transmission of energy through space or a material medium, taking the form of waves or particles. It encompasses a wide range of types, which can be broadly categorized into ionizing and non-ionizing radiation.

Ionizing radiation presents a flow of various microparticles or electromagnetic fields, that can ionize a substance. In everyday life, ionizing radiation denotes penetrating radiation, a flow of gamma rays and particles (alpha, beta, neutrons).

Nature is so that the same element can exist in the form of two or more variations called isotopes. Isotopes differ from each other by the number of neutrons in the nucleus and by the mass number. Isotopes can be divided into stable and unstable. The first group is characterized by stability. Stable isotopes can remain unchanged. The second group includes those isotopes that independently decay over time.

The concept of activity is used as the measure of radioactivity. The activity is the average number of radioactive transformations of definite nuclei per unit time. The measurement unit of the activity is becquerel (Bq); the activity of 1 Bq corresponds to one transformation of a radionuclide in one second. There is also an off-system unit of activity named curie (Ci); 1 Ci = 3,7×10¹⁰ Bq.

The term "exposure" refers to the situation where the body is in the presence of radiation. The exposure can be external and internal. The main difference between internal and external exposure lies in whether the source that emits radiation is inside or outside the body.

Radiation is a natural part of our environment, but it can also be artificially produced. We can distinguish between natural and man-made ionizing radiation sources, each with its characteristics and implications.