Science question from an ignorant science person: What kind of molecules does radiation have?

Before you answer, please keep in mind that I haven't taken a science course since grade 10 (almost 10 years ago). I know that there are three types of molecules: gaseous, liquid, and solid. Gas can seep through, say, windows, you're going to need quite a bit of PSI to get liquid through, and obviously, you can't get solid through. So that got me thinking: how does radiation seep through if it's not a gas? Is it more of a greenhouse concept? Please help me understand this. Thanks in advance.Science question from an ignorant science person: What kind of molecules does radiation have?
Radiation particles ( assuming particles, such as alpha ) are so small they slip right through all that atomic space. Excepting a positive particle hitting almost dead on to the positive nucleus.
radiation is energy....not matter. Therefore, it does not have molecules.Science question from an ignorant science person: What kind of molecules does radiation have?
It's a good question, mostly physics and a little chemistry. Before I answer you (skip to the bottom) we have to define the terms to be clear what we're discussing:



Matter has two forms: Mass and Energy



Radiation (light, radio waves, infra-red, microwaves, X-rays etc.) is matter in the form of energy, i.e. photons. Photons don't occur in molecules and they have no (rest) mass - they never stop, they keep radiating.

Photons do have a frequency (f, "nu", 谓) and an associated energy (E=hf) e.g. X-rays have much higher energy than visible light. Frequency is inversely related to wavelength (lambda, '位') by c=f位, where c = speed of light = constant.

If we say "electromagnetic (EM) radiation" we mean the full spectrum of all wavelengths.

When you say "radiation" you probably mean only the portion of the spectrum corresponding to gamma-waves and alpha/beta-particle emissions.

ALSO, by radiation you probably include radioactive molecules (isotopes of Uranium, Strontium, Cesium, Radium, Barium, Argon, Krypton etc. with more neutrons than normal) i.e. molecules which are unstable (have short half-lives) and decay, emitting more radiation.



Matter in the form of mass can take the states gas, liquid or solid (ok to be geeky, there are other exotic states, at extremes of temperature and pressure, but totally outside of everyday conditions, so forget that).

Matter in the form of mass IS composed of molecules (or atoms, or ions).



%26gt;So that got me thinking: how does radiation seep through if

%26gt; it's not a gas? Is it more of a greenhouse concept?



EM Radiation doesn't need a medium to transmit it (unlike sound waves or vibrations). It radiates through vacuum.

In the 19th century this was hotly debated until the Mitchelson-Mortety experiment in 1884 proved there was no "aether" required to transmit radiation.

So, radiation in the form of photons propagates either through a vacuum, or when it hits matter (e.g. the sky, or objects), it can be absorbed and re-radiated (at a different frequency, which among other things explains why the sky is blue).



Ok that's the end of the geek part, I didn't know how much theory you wanted, but it's crucial to distinguish between mass and energy, and understand that radiation both penetrates and re-radiates, so you can only statistically talk about shielding from it.



So: how does radiation get through your window?



1) The EM waves can propagate directly through your window (most of the radiation will not be absorbed, unless your window is like 6+ft-thick lead-glass - most people's aren't...).



2) Windows don't have perfect seals, and the frame and wall are also slightly porous.

Radioactive particles can gradually physically get through,

like you suggested.

PS you can apply NBC protection to buildings or vehicles (Hummvees) with overpressure on the inside and 100% recirculating your air supply - but that obviously requires lotsa energy.



3) Radiation doesn't just come in the window - if you have pockets of e.g. Argon gas (atoms) in the groundsoil (depends on your local geology e.g. limestone) you get radiation from under the floor.

Also from the water supply.



4) Also there's atmospheric radiation both from the sky and natural background sources on the ground.

This comes through the roof, walls, floor, etc.

The higher up you live, the less the atmosphere gets to absorb berfore it hits you so if you live at 11,000 ft in Bolivia or Tibet you get more incident radiation.

See the NASA paper I cited below.



5) Even if you could eliminate or mitigate all these (you can't, unless you live in a bubble), there's still natural radiation in food and water (not to mention Carbon-12 in burnt toast), so don't sweat it...

Long-distance plane travel, sunbathing, computer use, indsutrial exposure...



You can search for a diagram of how much radiation statistically enters your house, and what sources, and it ain't just the windows, it's the walls, roof, floor... slightly scary.

The executive summary is: radiation has multiple modes of transmitting, and you can't do much about it at all unless you want to live in a lead bunker... (If this bothers you the best you can do is move to a low-radiation area.)



PS the "secure undisclosed location" bunker where the US shadow government would continue in the event of an attack is said to be Mount Weather, VA [link 2 below]. See also Cheyenne Mountain, CO (NORAD's bunker).

You might get them to help with your home improvements, or get HGTV to do a makeover show "Radiation-Proof This House".



Hope that answers you.
That's not exactly a simple question to answer, though I hope this helps to briefly answer it: There are different types of radiation. One type of radiation is a piece of the nucleus that comes flying out when a radioactive isotope decays. Therefore it is essentially the unstable molecules/isotopes that can produce radiation/radioactivity.Science question from an ignorant science person: What kind of molecules does radiation have?
Molecules are clusters of atoms which mean physical matter. Physical matter most commonly exists in one of 3 states; gas, liquid, or solid. These states are defined by the strength of the molecular bonds and level of kinetic energy and "space" between molecules. Gases molecules are very loosely spaced, liquid in thighter clusters and solids having comparatively very little motion at the molecular level.



Radiation, on the other hand, is a form of energy, along with kinetic energy (motion) and potential energy (stored but not being expended). Radiation is emitted when particles are released from atoms during a physical or chemical reaction. Some everyday examples of radiant energy are microwaves, light, and heat.
Ok, simpley there are 3 kinds of radiation!



Alpha:

Made of: 1proton and 1neutron (a large positively charged partical + a neutral partical)

this is the largest of all three and will only travel a few centimeters in air, cannot travel far at all through liquids or solids due to its size, it ionises them on contact.



Beta:

Made of: 1electron (tiny negitively charged particals, what electricity is made of)

this is millions off times smaller than alpha, it is far less ionising but can travel a fair distance through air and a limited distance through liquids and solids (it fits in between the atoms)



Gamma:

Made of: electromagnetic waves

this is not a partical so it has no problem passing through solids and over a great distance in air. it is along the same lines as light and radio waves but at a much higher frequency.



I hope this helps