ionizing radiation

noun

, Physics.

1. any radiation, as a stream of alpha particles or x-rays, that produces ionization as it passes through a medium.

ionizing radiation

noun

1. electromagnetic or corpuscular radiation that is able to cause ionization

Word History and Origins

Origin of ionizing radiation¹

First recorded in 1900–05

Example Sentences

If the plasma reaches a planet’s magnetic field, its destructive effects can leave the atmosphere vulnerable to harsh ionizing radiation.

From Popular-Science

The detection could also be safer, without the bitter notes of ionizing radiation that might come with X-rays.

From Popular-Science

Some of these particles can be high-energy ionizing radiation.

From Science News For Students

They’re also effective at keeping radioactive particulates out of your lungs—dust that may be radioactive, for example—but they wouldn’t guard against the effects of ionizing radiation itself.

From Popular-Science

In these the interest lies not in nuclear interactions but in the effect of ionizing radiation on living tissue.

From Project Gutenberg

It had long been known that deep-penetrating ionizing radiation had that effect on an organism.

From Project Gutenberg