Gamma Ray: Definition & Uses
Gamma Ray:
A gamma ray, commonly known as gamma radiation (symbol ), is a penetrating kind of electromagnetic radiation produced by atomic nuclei decaying radioactively. It is made up of electromagnetic waves with the shortest wavelengths, usually shorter than X-rays. It transmits the most photon energy at frequencies exceeding 30 exahertz (301018 Hz). While studying the radiation released by radium, Paul Villard, a French scientist and physicist, discovered gamma radiation in 1900. Because of its unusually great penetration of matter, Ernest Rutherford termed this radiation gamma rays in 1903. a symbol
- X-rays and gamma rays are both forms of electromagnetic energy.
- Ionizing radiation, such as gamma rays, is dangerous to human health.
- Although gamma rays and X-rays are both electromagnetic radiation, their nomenclature differs within scientific areas due to their overlap in the electromagnetic spectrum.
Gamma Rays and Their Sources
Radioactive atoms and nuclear explosions both emit gamma rays. The sun and other stars, as well as collapsing stars in gamma ray bursts, all emit them. Thankfully, gamma rays from space are absorbed by the Earth’s atmosphere before reaching the surface.
Uses:
- Medical equipment should be sterilised.
- Food that has been sterilised (irradiated food) is used as tracers in medicine.
- In oncology, radiotherapy is used to eliminate malignant cells.
- Astronomy of Gamma Rays
Other Uses :
1)It’s utilised to cure malignant cells in our bodies without requiring surgery.
2)It is used in industry to destroy dangerous bacteria, yeast, and other organisms.
3)It is also used to sterilise medical tools, similar to x-rays.
4)It is used to identify problems in the brain and heart.
Engineers employ Gamma rays to examine for fractures in pipelines and aircraft parts because they penetrate better than X-rays.
6)Their crucial involvement in the creation of the atomic bomb is one of the damaging uses.
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