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beta radiation

Cultural  
  1. High-energy electrons, carrying a negative charge, that are sent out by some radioactive nuclei. (See alpha radiation and gamma radiation.)


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Beta radiation, unlike alpha radiation, has some penetrating power and can pass through clothing and wooden walls.

Example Sentences

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It emits a weak form of beta radiation that does not travel far and cannot penetrate human skin, according to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

From Washington Times Mar. 24, 2023

“This beta radiation is not very penetrating so that practically all of the energy emitted remains within the individual and cannot irradiate anyone else.”

From Seattle Times Mar. 17, 2023

It emits a weak form of beta radiation that does not travel very far and cannot penetrate human skin, according to the NRC.

From Seattle Times Mar. 16, 2023

Such radiation is easy to block; one’s epidermis can block alpha radiation, and a few millimeters of aluminum can block beta radiation.

From Washington Post Feb. 22, 2019

As a result, beta particles can penetrate far more deeply into bodily tissue and external doses of beta radiation represent a significantly greater threat than the slower, heavier alpha particles.

From Worldwide Effects of Nuclear War: Some Perspectives by U.S. Arms Control and Disarmament Agency

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