Electromagnetic Radiation - DOE-HDBK-1109-97

DOE-HDBK-1109-97

Radiological Safety Training for Radiation-Producing (X-Ray) Devices

Student's Guide

Electromagnetic Radiation

Type

Typical Photon Energy

Typical Wavelengths

radio wave

1 ueV

1 mm (10-3m)

1 meV

1 um (10-6m)

1 eV

6000 Angstrom (10-10m)

red light

2 eV

violet light

3 eV

4000 Angstrom

ultraviolet

4 eV

3000 Angstrom

X-ray

100 keV

0.1 Angstrom

gamma ray

1 MeV

0.01 Angstrom

ii. X-Rays and Gamma Rays.

X-rays and gamma rays both ionize atoms. The energy required for ionization varies with

material (e.g., 34 eV in air, 25 eV in tissue) but is generally in the range of several eV. A

100 keV X-ray can potentially create thousands of ions.