Ionizing radiation is the name given to sub-atomic particles or electromagnetic waves which posses enough energy to strip electrons from an atom or to "ionize" an atom. Among the various types of subatomic particles or electromagnetic waves that we call radiation, there are two types of radiation that are ionizing. These are X-rays and Gamma-rays. Ionizing radiation is biologically hazardous.
Ionizing radiation is a biological hazard as it can change the atoms in the human body by stripping their electrons. This causes a subatomic change in structure of the body and can cause serious health problems including damage to cellular structure or DNA and mutations at the cellular level. This kind of radiation, however, can also kill cancerous cells and has been used to do so.
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