Alpha radiation

Alpha radiation is the least penetrating. It can be stopped (or absorbed) by a sheet of
paper.

Beta radiation
Beta radiation can penetrate air and paper. It can be stopped by a thin sheet of
aluminium.

Gamma radiation
Gamma radiation is the most penetrating. Even small levels can penetrate air, paper or
thin metal. Higher levels can only be stopped by many centimetres of lead, or many
metres of concrete.

Check your understanding by having a go at this animation. Click on each image of the
rock to discover the reading on the radiation meter. Use the readings to confirm that the
rock gives out beta radiation.

Three types of radioation - Alpha, Beta, Gamma

There are three primary types of radiation:

Alpha - these are fast moving helium atoms. They have high energy, typically in the
MeV range, but due to their large mass, they are stopped by just a few inches of air, or
a piece of paper.

Beta - these are fast moving electrons. They typically have energies in the range of a
few hundred keV to several MeV. Since electrons are might lighter than helium
atoms, they are able to penetrate further, through several feet of air, or several
millimeters of plastic or less of very light metals.

Gamma - these are photons, just like light, except of much higher energy, typically
from several keV to several MeV. X-Rays and gamma rays are really the same thing,
the difference is how they were produced. Depending on their energy, they can be
stopped by a thin piece of aluminum foil, or they can penetrate several inches of lead.
 Difference Between Alpha Beta and Gamma
Radiation Summary

Property Alpha
Beta radiation Gamma radiation
radiation

A helium An
Nature of particle A photon
nucleus electron/positron

Charge 0

Mass 0

Speed ~0.05c up to 0.99c c

Ion pairs per cm of

~1 000 000 ~10 000 ~10
air

Interaction with
Some
perpendicular Large defleciton No deflection
deflection
magnetic fields

(to some extent) A

Thick sheet Few mm of couple of cm of a
Stopped by
of paper aluminium sheet block of lead or few
metres thick concrete