Electromagnetic radiation emitted by an unstable nucleus when the nucleus has too much energy following α or β emission.
Gamma radiation has no mass and no charge.
Electric and magnetic waves oscillate at right angles to each other in phase and oscillate at right angles to the direction in which they are travelling.
The speed of all electromagnetic radiation in a vacuum is c = 3.00 x 10
8ms
-1 Electromagnetic radiation can have different wavelengths and frequencies. The relationship between speed, frequency and wavelength is given by:
c = λ f
where c= speed, λ is wavelength and f is frequency.
The Electromagnetic Spectrum:
| wavelength |
| radio | 0.1m |
| microwave | 1mm - 1cm |
| infra-red | 700nm - 1mm |
| visible | 400nm - 700nm |
| ultra-violet | 1nm - 400nm |
| X-rays | 0.002nm - 10nm |
| gamma | < 1nm |