Particle radiation - wikipedia Particle radiation This article does not cite any sources. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. ( February 2011 ) Particle radiation is the radiation of energy by means of fast - moving subatomic particles. Particle radiation is referred to as a particle beam if the particles are all moving in the same direction, similar to a light beam. Due to the wave -- particle duality, all moving particles also have wave character. Higher energy particles more easily exhibit particle characteristics, while lower energy particles more easily exhibit wave characteristics. Contents 1 Types and production 2 Passage through matter 3 See also 4 External links Types and production Particles can be electrically charged or uncharged : Particle radiation can be emitted by an unstable atomic nucleus ( via radioactive decay ), or it can be the product from some other kind of nuclear reaction. Many types of particles may be emitted : protons and other hydrogen nuclei stripped of their electrons positively charged alpha particles ( α ) helium ions at high energy levels HZE ions, which are nuclei heavier than helium positively or negatively charged beta particles ( β or β ) ( the latter being more common ) high - speed electrons that are not from the beta decay process, but others such as internal conversion and Auger effect photons ( called a gamma ray, γ, and acting in some ways like a particle. ) neutrons, subatomic particles which have no charge ; neutron radiation neutrinos mesons muons Mechanisms that produce particle radiation include : alpha decay Auger effect beta decay cluster decay internal conversion neutron emission nuclear fission and spontaneous fission nuclear fusion particle colliders in which streams of high energy particles are smashed proton emission solar flares solar particle events supernova explosions Additionally, galactic cosmic rays include these particles, but many are from unknown mechanisms Charged particles ( electrons, mesons, protons, alpha particles, heavier HZE ions, etc. ) can be produced by particle accelerators. Ion irradiation is widely used in the semiconductor industry to introduce dopants into materials, a method known as ion implantation. Particle accelerators can also produce neutrino beams. Neutron beams are mostly produced by nuclear reactors. For the production of electromagnetic radiation, there are many methods, depending upon the wave length ( see electromagnetic spectrum ). Passage through matter Graphic showing relationships between radioactivity and detected ionizing radiation In radiation protection, radiation is often separated into two categories, ionizing and non-ionizing, to denote the level of danger posed to humans. Ionization is the process of removing electrons from atoms, leaving two electrically charged particles ( an electron and a positively charged ion ) behind. The negatively charged electrons and positively charged ions created by ionizing radiation may cause damage in living tissue. Basically, a particle is ionizing if its energy is higher than the ionization energy of a typical substance, i.e., a few eV, and interacts with electrons significantly. According to the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection, electromagnetic radiations from ultraviolet to infrared, to radiofrequency ( including microwave ) radiation, static and time - varying electric and magnetic fields, and ultrasound belong to the non-ionizing radiations. The charged particles mentioned above all belong to the ionizing radiations. When passing through matter, they ionize and thus lose energy in many small steps. The distance to the point where the charged particle has lost all its energy is called the range of the particle. The range depends upon the type of particle, its initial energy, and the material it traverses. Similarly, the energy loss per unit path length, the ' stopping power ', depends on the type and energy of the charged particle and upon the material. The stopping power and hence, the density of ionization, usually increases toward the end of range and reaches a maximum, the Bragg Peak, shortly before the energy drops to zero. See also Geiger counter Ion chamber Nuclear engineering Nuclear physics Particle accelerator Physics Proportional counter Radiation Radiation therapy Radioactivity Stopping power of radiation particles External links Stopping power and energy loss straggling calculations of ion beams in solids by MELF - GOS model Radiation ( physics and health ) Main articles Non-ionizing radiation Acoustic radiation force Infrared Light Starlight Sunlight Microwave Radio waves Ultraviolet Ionizing radiation Soft radiation Hard radiation Radioactive decay Cluster decay Background radiation Alpha particle Beta particle Gamma ray Cosmic ray Neutron radiation Nuclear fission Nuclear fusion Nuclear reactors Nuclear weapons Particle accelerators Radioactive materials X-ray Earth 's energy budget Electromagnetic radiation Synchrotron radiation Thermal radiation Black - body radiation Particle radiation Gravitational Radiation Cosmic background radiation Cherenkov radiation Askaryan radiation Bremsstrahlung Unruh radiation Dark radiation Radiation and health Radiation syndrome acute chronic Health physics Dosimetry Electromagnetic radiation and health Laser safety Lasers and aviation safety Medical radiography Mobile phone radiation and health Radiation protection Radiation therapy Radioactivity in the life sciences Radioactive contamination Radiobiology Biological dose units and quantities Wireless electronic devices and health Radiation Heat - transfer Related articles Half - life Nuclear physics Radioactive source Radiation hardening List of civilian radiation accidents 1996 Costa Rica accident 1987 Goiânia accident 1984 Moroccan accident 1990 Zaragoza accident See also : the categories Radiation effects, Radioactivity, Radiobiology, and Radiation protection. Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Particle_radiation&oldid=825782501 '' Categories : Radioactivity Hidden categories : Use dmy dates from June 2016 Articles lacking sources from February 2011 All articles lacking sources Talk Contents About Wikipedia Español Esperanto Français Íslenska Magyar Bahasa Melayu Nederlands 日本 語 Norsk Norsk nynorsk Polski Português Română Slovenčina کوردی Suomi Türkçe Tiếng Việt 中文 11 more Edit links This page was last edited on 15 February 2018, at 11 : 21. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution - ShareAlike License ; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia ® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization. About Wikipedia

Question: what names are given to the two main types of particle radiation found on earth
Answer: ionizing