1490-1491 / 3107
•
Directly ionizing:
charged particles
(electrons, protons, light ions)
Radiation deposits energy in the medium through direct Coulomb
interactions (
→
charged) with orbital electrons of atoms in the medium
•
Indirectly ionizing:
neutral particles (photons, neutrons)
Ionizing Radiation (IR)
Radiation deposit energy in the medium through a two step process: a
charged particle is released in the medium (
g
-> e
-
, e
+
; n-> p or heavier ions)
the released charged particle acts as a directly ionizing radiation