What is irradiation?

Irradiation refers to the process in which an object is exposed to ionising radiation. This involves the interaction between the radiation—such as alpha particles, beta particles, gamma rays, or x-rays—and the matter that is being irradiated. During this exposure, energy from the radiation can be transferred to the atoms in the object, potentially causing ionization, which may lead to various effects depending on the type of radiation and the nature of the object.

This concept is significant in several fields, including medical treatments (like cancer radiotherapy), sterilization of equipment, and food preservation, where the objective is to eliminate pathogens or pests without significantly raising the temperature of the product. Other choices do not accurately describe irradiation; losing neutrons, gaining protons, or atomic fusion pertain to different nuclear processes, not the exposure to ionising radiation itself.