DOE-HDBK-1019/1-93Atomic and Nuclear PhysicsINTERACTION OF RADIATION WITH MATTERINTERACTION OF RADIATION WITH MATTERDifferent types of radiation interact with matter in widely different ways. A large,massive, charged alpha particle cannot penetrate a piece of paper and even hasa limited range in dry air. A neutrino, at the other extreme, has a lowprobability of interacting with any matter, even if it passed through the diameterof the earth.EO 5.1DESCRIBE interactions of the following with matter:a.Alpha particlec.Positronb.Beta particled.NeutronEO 5.2DESCRIBE the following ways that gamma radiation interactswith matter:a.Photoelectric effectb.Compton scatteringc.Pair productionInteractionof RadiationWithMatterRadiation can be classified into two general groups, charged and uncharged; therefore, it may beexpected that interactions with matter fall into two general types. Charged particles directlyionize the media through which they pass, while uncharged particles and photons can causeionization only indirectly or by secondary radiation.A moving charged particle has an electrical field surrounding it, which interacts with the atomicstructure of the medium through which it is passing. This interaction decelerates the particle andaccelerates electrons in the atoms of the medium. The accelerated electrons may acquire enoughenergy to escape from the parent atom. This process, whereby radiation "strips" off orbitalelectrons, is called ionization. Uncharged moving particles have no electrical field, so they canonly lose energy and cause ionization by such means as collisions or scattering. A photon canlose energy by the photoelectric effect, Compton effect, or pair production.Rev. 0Page 63NP-01
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