Radiation is a term used to describe the energy that travels through space from a source and can interact with matter. The two main categories of radiation are ionizing and non-ionizing radiation.

Ionizing radiation has enough energy to remove tightly bound electrons from atoms, creating ions and potentially damaging biological tissues. It can be found in X-rays, gamma rays, and particles like alpha and beta particles. Ionizing radiation can cause a range of health effects depending on the dose and duration of exposure, including immediate radiation sickness, delayed effects such as cancer, and genetic mutations that can be passed on to future generations.

Non-ionizing radiation, on the other hand, does not have enough energy to remove electrons but can still affect matter by exciting molecules, causing heating, or inducing electric currents. It includes ultraviolet, visible, and infrared light, as well as radio waves and microwaves. Non-ionizing radiation has fewer health hazards than ionizing radiation but can still cause skin and eye damage, cellular stress, and electromagnetic interference.

Radiation has numerous applications in our daily lives, including in the diagnosis and treatment of medical conditions, in industrial processing, in energy production, and in communication. However, exposure to high levels of radiation can pose a significant risk to human health, which is why regulatory standards and protective measures are in place to monitor and limit exposure.