Irradiation is the process by which an item is exposed to radiation. The exposure can be intentional, sometimes to serve a specific purpose, or it can be accidental. In common usage the term refers specifically to ionizing radiation, and to a level of radiation that will serve that specific purpose, rather than radiation exposure to normal levels of background radiation or abnormal levels of radiation due to accidental exposure. Radiation as used in physics, is energy in the form of waves or particles. ... Radiation as used in physics, is energy in the form of waves or particles. ... Background radiation is the ionizing radiation emitted from a variety of natural and artificial radiation sources: sources in the Earth and from those sources that are incorporated in our food and water, which are incorporated in our body, and in building materials and other products that incorporate those radioactive sources...

Explanation

Most forms of radiation do not induce a state of radioactivity in the target. Examples of this include gamma rays, electron beams or X-rays if employed at or below the energy levels permitted by national and international regulatory agencies for industrial applications. Gamma rays and X-rays are very-short-wavelength electromagnetic radiation consisting of photons that penetrate through solid matter until they scatter electrons from molecules by means of the compton effect or at lower levels the photoelectric effect. These electrons then induce the desired effects in the material, by destroying pathogen DNA or improving material characteristics. Electron beam irradiation employs electrons, but has a much lower power of penetration. Radiation as used in physics, is energy in the form of waves or particles. ... Radioactivity may mean: Look up radioactivity in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... This article is about electromagnetic radiation. ... Beta particles are high-energy electrons emitted by certain types of radioactive nuclei such as potassium-40. ... In the NATO phonetic alphabet, X-ray represents the letter X. An X-ray picture (radiograph) taken by Röntgen An X-ray is a form of electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength approximately in the range of 5 pm to 10 nanometers (corresponding to frequencies in the range 30 PHz... This article is about electromagnetic radiation. ... In the NATO phonetic alphabet, X-ray represents the letter X. An X-ray picture (radiograph) taken by Röntgen An X-ray is a form of electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength approximately in the range of 5 pm to 10 nanometers (corresponding to frequencies in the range 30 PHz... Electromagnetic radiation can be imagined as a self-propagating transverse oscillating wave of electric and magnetic fields. ... In physics, the photon (from Greek φως, phōs, meaning light) is the quantum of the electromagnetic field; for instance, light. ... Properties The electron (also called negatron, commonly represented as e−) is a subatomic particle. ... In science, a molecule is the smallest particle of a pure chemical substance that still retains its chemical composition and properties. ... In quantum mechanics, the Compton effect, observed by Arthur Compton in 1923, is the increase in wavelength which occurs when X-ray photons with energies of around 0. ... A diagram illustrating the emission of photoelectrons from a metal plate, requiring energy gained from an incoming photon to be more than the work function of the material. ... A pathogen or infectious agent is a biological agent that causes disease or illness to its host. ... The structure of part of a DNA double helix Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is a nucleic acid that contains the genetic instructions for the development and function of living organisms. ... A charged particle beam is a group of electrically charged particles that have approximately the same kinetic energy and move in approximately the same direction. ...

Applications

If administered at appropriate levels, all of these forms of radiation can be used to sterilize objects, a technique used in the production of medical instruments and disposables, such as syringes as well as in the disinfestation and sterilization of food. Irradiation can further more be used in cross-polymerization of plastics or to improve material qualities of semi-precious stones. Irradiation is also employed to prevent sprouting of certain cereals, onions, potatoes and garlic. During the 2001 anthrax attacks, the US Postal Service irradiated mail to protect members of the US government and other possible targets. This can be of some concern to people, including artists; according to the ART in Embassies programme "incoming mail is irradiated, and the process destroys slides, transparencies and disks."[1] Sterilization (or sterilisation) is the elimination of all transmissible agents (such as bacteria, prions and viruses) from a surface, a piece of equipment, food or biological culture medium. ... A syringe consists of a plunger fitted to a tube, called the barrel, which has a small opening on one end. ... The term plastics covers a range of synthetic or semi-synthetic organic condensation or polymerization products that can be molded or extruded into objects or films or fibers. ... A selection of gemstone pebbles made by tumbling rough rock with abrasive grit, in a rotating drum. ... The 2001 anthrax attacks in the United States, also known as Amerithrax from its FBI case name, occurred over the course of several weeks beginning on September 18, 2001 (a week after the September 11, 2001 attacks). ... A USPS Truck at Night A U.S. Post Office sign The United States Postal Service (USPS) is the United States government organization responsible for providing postal service in the United States and is generally referred to as the post office. ... Irradiated mail is mail that has been deliberately exposed to radiation, typically in an effort to disinfect it. ...

See also

• Radiolyse
• Food irradiation