GEMET
General
Multilingual
Environmental
Thesaurus
ionising radiation
Definition

Radiation that is capable of energizing atoms sufficiently to remove electrons from them. In this state atoms become more reactive, so that ionizing radiation increases chemical activity and in this way produces biological effects, including effects that involve alterations induced in DNA. X-rays and gamma-rays are the only electromagnetic waves that cause ionization in biological material.

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Scope note

Scope note is not available.

Concept URL: http://www.eionet.europa.eu/gemet/concept/4491