1/28/13 Penetrating Radiation

Home - Education Resources - NDT Course Material - Radiography

-
Radiography

Introduction
Nature of Penetrating Radiation History
Pre se nt State
Future Dire ction

Physics of Radiography
Nature of Pe ne trating
R adiation
X-rays
Gam m a R ays
Activity
De cay R ate
-C arbon 14 Dating
Ionization
Inve rse Square Law
Inte raction of R T/Matte r
Atte nuation C oe fficie nt
Half-Value Laye r
Source s of Atte nuation
-C om pton Scatte ring
Ge om e tric Unsharpne ss
Filte rs in R adiography
Scatte r/R adiation C ontrol
R adiation Safe ty

Equipment & Materials

The Electromagnetic Spectrum X-ray Ge ne rators
R adio Isotope Source s
R adiographic Film
X-rays and gamma rays differ only in their source of origin. X-rays are produced by an x-ray Ex posure Vaults

generator and gamma radiation is the product of radioactive atoms. They are both part of the Techniques & Calibrations
electromagnetic spectrum. They are waveforms, as are light rays, microwaves, and radio Im aging C onside ration
C ontrast
waves. X-rays and gamma rays cannot been seen, felt, or heard. They possess no charge and De finition
R adiographic De nsity
no mass and, therefore, are not influenced by electrical and magnetic fields and will generally C haracte ristic C urve s
travel in straight lines. However, they can be diffracted (bent) in a manner similar to light. Ex posure C alculations
C ontrolling Q uality
Film Proce ssing
Both X-rays and gamma rays can be characterized by frequency, wavelength, and velocity. Vie wing R adiographs
R adiograph Inte rp-W e lds
However, they act somewhat like a particle at times in that they occur as small "packets" of R adiograph Inte rp -
C astings
energy and are referred to as "photons." Electromagnetic radiation has also been described in
terms of a stream of photons (massless particles) each traveling in a wave-like pattern and A dvanced Techniques
R e al-tim e R adiography
moving at the speed of light. C om pute d Tom ography
XR SIM

Each photon contains a certain amount (or bundle) of energy, and all electromagnetic radiation R e fe re nce s
consists of these photons. The only difference between the various types of electromagnetic
radiation is the amount of energy found in the photons. Due to their short wavelength they have Quizzes
-
more energy to pass through matter than do the other forms of energy in the electromagnetic
spectrum. As they pass through matter, they are scattered and absorbed and the degree of
penetration depends on the kind of matter and the energy of the rays.

Properties of X-Rays and Gamma Rays

They are not detected by human senses (cannot be seen, heard, felt, etc.).
They travel in straight lines at the speed of light.
www.ndt-ed.org/EducationResources/CommunityCollege/Radiography/Physics/nature.htm 1/2
1/28/13 Penetrating Radiation
They travel in straight lines at the speed of light.
Their paths cannot be changed by electrical or magnetic fields.
They can be diffracted to a small degree at interfaces between two different materials.
They pass through matter until they have a chance encounter with an atomic particle.
Their degree of penetration depends on their energy and the matter they are traveling
through.
They have enough energy to ionize matter and can damage or destroy living cells.

www.ndt-ed.org/EducationResources/CommunityCollege/Radiography/Physics/nature.htm 2/2