Quantum is a discrete and the smallest natural unit of energy and momentum. Planck makes the assumption that every energy transfer on a sub-atomic level consist of small units, called quanta. The view of electromagnetic energy as photons reflects this quantization.
E = h x v
E = energy
h = Planck quantum of action = 6.6261 x 10^-27 erg sec
v = frequency.

Radiation shielding is the process of limiting the penetration of radiation into the environment, by blocking with a barrier made of impermeable material. This protective barrier is usually formed of a material with high density, for example lead that absorbs the radiation.
Radiation sources are self-shielded with absorbing material incorporated into the equipment, adjacent to the source to reduce stray radiation to the surrounding area below dose limits.
Rooms with x-ray or other radiation equipment are additionally shielded with lead-lined walls to reduce the radiation exposure to humans within the facility. The amount of shielding required to protect against different kinds of radiation depends on how much energy they have. The shielding calculations are based on the half value layer of the primary radiation beam. Sufficient half value layers of shielding are calculated to reduce the radiation exposure outside the room to reasonable levels.
Personal shielding requirements depending on the type of radiation:
See also Radiation Safety.

Radioactive decay is the change of instable atoms to a more stable state. This change to a different nuclide by the spontaneous emission of radiation such as alpha or beta particles, gamma rays, or by electron capture follows an element-specific decay chain. Each step in the decay chain has a definite half-life.
Sometimes also the reduction of excitation energy of the nucleus by e.g. internal conversion is mentioned as radioactive decay.

See also Decay Chain, Radioisotope.

Radiographs are x-ray pictures of the internal body. A radiograph looks like a photographic negative; this kind of impression is caused by representing the least dense structures (for example air) as dark areas and the structures with high density as white areas.

The distribution associated with the magnitude of the noise amplitude following a Gaussian distribution. The mean value of this distribution is roughly 1.25 s0, where s0 is the standard deviation of the original Gaussian distribution.