gamma ray
noun
: a photon emitted spontaneously by a radioactive substance
also
: a photon of higher energy than that of an X-ray
Examples of gamma ray in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Just as ultraviolet radiation, or UV rays, make sunscreen a necessity lest one risk skin cancer, gamma rays would also require a form of physical protection.
—
Max Bennett, Discover Magazine, 18 Mar. 2024
The baby black hole would produce jets of highly energetic particles moving near the speed of light, powerful enough to pierce through the remains of the progenitor star, emitting X-rays and gamma rays.
—Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 22 June 2023
Plus, beta radiation isn't as harmful as, say, gamma rays.
—Rhett Allain, WIRED, 23 Feb. 2024
But the particles should occasionally collide, resulting in tiny bursts of gamma rays.
—Michael D. Lemonick, Scientific American, 1 Jan. 2024
Alpha particles are just the nuclei of helium atoms, beta particles are electrons, and gamma rays are a type of very high-frequency electromagnetic radiation.
—Rhett Allain, WIRED, 23 Feb. 2024
One way to identify the sources is to backtrack the paths that high-energy cosmic neutrinos traveled on their way to Earth since they are created by cosmic rays colliding with matter or radiation, producing particles that then decay into neutrinos and gamma rays.
—Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 29 June 2023
The Moon’s surface is not protected from solar particles and cosmic rays, particularly gamma rays, but here too, the tardigrades would be able to resist.
—Laurent Palka, Discover Magazine, 1 Mar. 2024
The results were consistent with an association between the FRB and the gamma ray output.
—Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 11 Oct. 2023
Max Bennett, Discover Magazine, 18 Mar. 2024
The baby black hole would produce jets of highly energetic particles moving near the speed of light, powerful enough to pierce through the remains of the progenitor star, emitting X-rays and gamma rays.
—Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 22 June 2023
Plus, beta radiation isn't as harmful as, say, gamma rays.
—Rhett Allain, WIRED, 23 Feb. 2024
But the particles should occasionally collide, resulting in tiny bursts of gamma rays.
—Michael D. Lemonick, Scientific American, 1 Jan. 2024
Alpha particles are just the nuclei of helium atoms, beta particles are electrons, and gamma rays are a type of very high-frequency electromagnetic radiation.
—Rhett Allain, WIRED, 23 Feb. 2024
One way to identify the sources is to backtrack the paths that high-energy cosmic neutrinos traveled on their way to Earth since they are created by cosmic rays colliding with matter or radiation, producing particles that then decay into neutrinos and gamma rays.
—Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 29 June 2023
The Moon’s surface is not protected from solar particles and cosmic rays, particularly gamma rays, but here too, the tardigrades would be able to resist.
—Laurent Palka, Discover Magazine, 1 Mar. 2024
The results were consistent with an association between the FRB and the gamma ray output.
—Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 11 Oct. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'gamma ray.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Gamma ray.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gamma%20ray. Accessed 18 Apr. 2024.
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