Radiation
- Radiation is a word that comes from a Latin term that means “ray of light.”
- Radiation is used for all forms of energy that travel through space from one place to another as “rays.”
Radiation may occur in the form of
- subatomic particles: These are the basic units of matter and energy, including electrons, neutrons, protons, neutrinos, and positrons.
- electromagnetic waves are a form of energy that includes visible light, as well as other forms of energy such as X rays, gamma rays, radio waves, and microwaves.
The word radiation is also used to describe the transfer of heat between objects that are not touching. Heat always moves from the hotter object to the cooler object.This type of heat transfer is why you feel the heat coming from a fire. What you are feeling is infrared radiation, a form of electromagnetic energy that you experience as heat.
You are exposed daily to light, which is a type of radiation. But you are warned to avoid exposure to nuclear radiation, and many are afraid to have a nuclear energy plant build nearby. For information about nuclear radiation and why it is harmful, see ENERGY:NUCLEAR RADIATION.
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