Abstract
Any ionizing radiation passing through matter excites or liberates many electrons, which are the lightest constituent of any substance. Energetic electrons thus generated, as well as excited or ionized molecular species, are the major precursors of the physical and chemical and, hence, the biological effects of radiation actions. (As a qualification, radiation effects on crystalline solids, most notably metals, arise primarily from atomic displacements that are due to the transfer of radiation energy into the kinetic energies of atoms.) Consequently, electrons playa central role in radiation physics.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
M. Kimura, M. Inokuti, and M.A. Dillon, Electron degradation in molecular substances, in: “Advances in Chemical Physics,” Vol. 84, I. Prigogine and S.A. Rice, eds., John Wiley & Sons, Inc. (1993) p. 193
W.F. Schmidt, Electron transport in gases and liquids, in the present volume.
W.A. Glass and M.N. Varma, eds., “Physical and Chemical Mechanisms in Molecular Radiation Biology,” Plenum Press, New York (1991)
H.G. Paretzke, in: “Kinetics of Nonhomogeneous Processes,” G.R. Freeman, ed., John Wiley & Sons, Inc. (1987) p. 89
R.H. Ritchie, R.N. Hamm, J.E. Turner, H.A. Wright, and W.E. Bloch, Radiation interactions and energy transport in the condensed-phase, p. 99 of Ref. 3.
M. Zaider, Charged particle transport in the condensed phase, p. 137 of Ref. 3.
G. Bakale, A carcinogen-screening test based on electrons, in the present volume.
R.L. Platzman and J. Franck, A physical mechanism for the inactivation of proteins by ionizing radiation, in: “Symposium on Information Theory in Biology,” H.P. Yockey, R.L. Platzman, and H. Quastler, eds., Pergamon Press, Oxford (1958) p. 262
Teresa H.V.T. Dias, Physics of noble gas X-ray detectors, in the present volume
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1994 Springer Science+Business Media New York
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Inokuti, M. (1994). The Behavior of Slow Electrons in Molecular Substances and Its Significance in Radiation and Life Sciences. In: Christophorou, L.G., Illenberger, E., Schmidt, W.F. (eds) Linking the Gaseous and Condensed Phases of Matter. NATO ASI Series, vol 326. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-2540-0_40
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-2540-0_40
Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA
Print ISBN: 978-1-4613-6083-4
Online ISBN: 978-1-4615-2540-0
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive