Radiation Safety AMMO-66-DL Practice Test 2025 – Complete Exam Preparation

The type of radiation that loses energy with each ionization, has a short range, and cannot penetrate a sheet of paper is the alpha particle. Alpha particles are relatively heavy and positively charged, consisting of two protons and two neutrons. Due to their mass and charge, alpha particles interact very effectively with matter, which causes them to lose energy quickly as they ionize atoms along their path. This high ionization capability leads to a very short range in materials; in air, for example, alpha particles can travel only a few centimeters before losing all their energy.

Alpha particles are unable to penetrate even a sheet of paper because they are stopped by the outer layers of material they encounter. This is in stark contrast to other types of radiation, such as beta particles, X-rays, and gamma rays, which have greater penetrating power and longer ranges due to their different properties and interactions with matter.