Question

What effect does nuclear radiation have on atoms?

It splits atoms.

It burns atoms.

It ionizes atoms.

Answer 1

It ionizes atoms.

Step-by-step explanation:

There are three types of nuclear radiation:

• α rays
• β rays
• γ rays

All of these have enough energy that they can remove an electron from an atom and cause it to become charged or ionized.

A is wrong. Ionizing radiation does not have enough energy to split atoms.

B is wrong. Nuclear radiation does not involve burning — the reaction of atoms with oxygen.