Since energy levels in the nucleus are much higher than those in the gas, the nucleus will cool down by emitting a more energetic electromagnetic wave called a gamma ray . Gamma ray emission causes no change in the number of particles in the nucleus meaning both the atomic number and mass number remain the same.

Emitting a gamma ray makes no difference to the mass number or the atomic number but will make the nucleus more stable.

Explanation: In γ -decay the nucleus changes its state from high to low energy through emission of electromagnetic radiation. Neither atomic number nor mass number change in a γ -decay.

What are the Three Types of Radiation? When atoms decay, they emit three types of radiation, alpha, beta and gamma. The alpha and beta radiation consist of actual matter that shoots off the atom, while gamma rays are electromagnetic waves.

Alpha particles are positively charged helium nuclei. Hence, in comparison to beta particles and gamma rays, they have considerable mass and charge and hence, they have the least penetrating power. Beta particles are fast moving electrons that have a negative charge.

Gamma rays travel like any other electromagnetic waves – cutting a fairly straight line through world. They can move through a vacuum, or through air or water.

Staying inside will reduce your exposure to radiation.

1. Close windows and doors.
2. Take a shower or wipe exposed parts of your body with a damp cloth.
3. Drink bottled water and eat food in sealed containers.

Gamma radiation, unlike alpha or beta, does not consist of any particles, instead consisting of a photon of energy being emitted from an unstable nucleus. Having no mass or charge, gamma radiation can travel much farther through air than alpha or beta, losing (on average) half its energy for every 500 feet.

Thick, dense shielding is necessary to protect against gamma rays. The higher the energy of the gamma ray, the thicker the shield must be. X-rays pose a similar challenge. This is why x-ray technicians often give patients receiving medical or dental X-rays a lead apron to cover other parts of their body.

Neutron radiation is the most damaging type of radiation (hence the neutron bomb), a large dose of Neutron radiation is what happens in a criticality accident. This will cause cell death, and destroy the immune system, it generally leads to death within hours to days, but with medical care this could be weeks.

At the conventional effective combat range against modern main battle tanks and armored personnel carriers (< 690–900 m), the blast from a 1 kt neutron bomb would destroy or damage to the point of nonusability almost all un-reinforced civilian buildings.

With U-238, the neutron needs to be slowed down, or “thermalized”. This is done using heavy water, or water made from hydrogen with extra neutrons. The free neutrons hit the water atoms and transfer some of their kinetic energy to the water, heating it up.

Atomic bombs are made up of a fissile element, such as uranium, that is enriched in the isotope that can sustain a fission nuclear chain reaction. When a free neutron hits the nucleus of a fissile atom like uranium-235 (235U), the uranium splits into two smaller atoms called fission fragments, plus more neutrons.

3. What else is released besides smaller nuclei? nuclear fission: The process by which a heavy atomic nucleus is split into two or more smaller nuclei by a slow-moving neutron with the release of energy.