Alpha radiation characteristics
Slide 7 of 18
Alpha particles are ejected from atoms when the atoms contain too many particles to be stable. Atoms with a large nucleus, atomic number greater than 82 , typically decay by emitting an alpha particle.
This particle creates a large number of ion pairs when it interacts with matter because of its plus two charge and its mass of 4 amu. A few inches of air or a thin sheet a paper is sufficient to completely shield it. Because it creates a large number of ions in a small area it causes twenty times the biological damage that gamma radiation does.
