– Why are alpha- and beta radiation referred as particles, whilst gamma radiation as rays?

Question

– Why are alpha- and beta radiation referred as particles, whilst gamma radiation as rays?

In: Physics

Answer 1

All three are made up of particles. The difference is that alpha (4He nuclei) and beta particles (electrons) have mass (and electric charge) while gamma particles (photons) don’t. And while quantum physics tells us that both massed and massless particles are actually “particle-and-wave” and acts as either depending on circumstances, we are more used to interacting with massed particles as particles, and massless particles as waves.