Gamma ray

Gamma ray

Gamma ray (pronunciation: /ˈɡæmə reɪ/), also known as gamma radiation (pronunciation: /ˈɡæmə ˌreɪdiˈeɪʃən/), is a type of ionizing radiation that consists of high-energy photons. The term 'gamma ray' is derived from the Greek letter 'gamma' and was first used by the British physicist Paul Ulrich Villard in 1900.

Description

Gamma rays are produced by subatomic particle interactions such as beta decay, positron emission, and electron capture. They are also produced by nuclear reactions such as nuclear fission and nuclear fusion.

Gamma rays have the smallest wavelengths and the most energy of any other wave in the electromagnetic spectrum. They can penetrate most materials and are thus biologically hazardous.

Medical Use

In medicine, gamma rays are used in radiation therapy to treat certain types of cancer. A concentrated beam of gamma rays is targeted on the cancer cells to kill them and stop their growth. This treatment is known as gamma knife surgery.

Related Terms

• Ionizing radiation
• Photon
• Beta decay
• Positron emission
• Electron capture
• Nuclear fission
• Nuclear fusion
• Wavelength
• Electromagnetic spectrum
• Radiation therapy
• Gamma Knife

External links

• Medical encyclopedia article on Gamma ray
• Wikipedia's article - Gamma ray

This WikiMD article is a stub. You can help make it a full article.

---

Languages: - East Asian 中文, 日本, 한국어, South Asian हिन्दी, Urdu, বাংলা, తెలుగు, தமிழ், ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian Indonesian, Vietnamese, Thai, မြန်မာဘာသာ, European español, Deutsch, français, русский, português do Brasil, Italian, polski