It is at the small wavelength end of the electromagnetic spectrum.
A g-ray has no mass and no charge.
Emitting a g-ray makes no difference to the mass number
or the atomic number but will make the nucleus more stable.
gcsescience.com 9 gcsescience.com
Radiation - g-rays.
A g-ray (gamma ray) is an electromagnetic wave.
It is at the small wavelength end of the electromagnetic
spectrum.
A g-ray has
no mass
and no charge.
Emitting a g-ray makes
no difference to the mass number
or the atomic
number but will make the nucleus more stable.
It is the least likely to collide with other atoms which means that
1.
g-rays have
the most penetrating ability
and are not easily absorbed.
Many centimetres of lead
or a few metres of concrete
will absorb most
g-rays but
some will still get through.
2. g-rays are the
least ionising of the
three types of
radiation.
g-rays are likely to be emitted
at the same time as a-particles or b-particles
but some isotopes only
emit g-rays (see examples).
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