radiation
Pluralradiations
- 1Energy given off by materials that are radioactive.
Like heat coming off a fire, but you cannot see or feel it.
Workers near the reactor wear badges that measure radiation.
The damaged plant leaked dangerous radiation into the surrounding area.
Similarradioactivity
Note
- 2Short for electromagnetic radiation. Used when the longer name is already clear from context.
Microwaves and visible light are both forms of radiation.
The sun sends huge amounts of radiation toward Earth.
Note
- 3A way that heat or energy travels through space as waves, with nothing in between.
Like the warmth you feel from a fire before you ever touch it.
The Earth gets nearly all its warmth through radiation from the sun.
Heat reaches your hands from the campfire by radiation, even through cool air.
- 4The sending out of waves or tiny particles from something.
Like ripples spreading out from a stone dropped in water.
The radiation of light from the bulb fills the whole room.
Scientists studied the radiation of particles from the hot metal.
Similaremission, release, discharge
Oppositeabsorption
- 5The spreading out of something from a center point, like rays of light.
Like spokes spreading out from the center of a wheel.
The radiation of cracks from the impact spread across the windshield.
You could see the radiation of light beams from the lighthouse.
Similardivergence, spread, branching
Oppositeconvergence
Note
- 6A fast spread of one species into many new and different kinds.
Like one family tree growing many new branches over time.
The radiation of mammals happened after the dinosaurs died out.
Finches on the islands are a famous example of a radiation into many forms.
Similardiversification
Note
Practice
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Origin
This word comes from the Latin word "radiatio." You can also see it as "radiate" plus "-ion."