neutron radiation
1
5.7
- noun
- /ˈnjuːtrɒn ˌreɪdiˈeɪʃən/
- Specialized
:
radiación de neutrones
- His hand was exposed to eight to nine grays of neutron radiation after the nuclear reaction.
Examples
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We are reading an enormous amount of neutron radiation.
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Low-level waste often comes from items contaminated by neutron radiation during their use.
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The nice thing about these sources of neutron radiation is that they're so expensive.
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But if she is cloaked... Then all we have is a neutron radiation surge and by the time we're close enough to record it, we're ashes.
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Judging from the levels of gamma and neutron radiation measured near the plant perimeter, the criticality excursion seems to have lasted about 20 hours; after that time, the radiation levels dropped below detection limits.
Academic text (1999) -
The technician reported high levels of neutron radiation near the nuclear plant last week.
Synonyms
438
4.5
Energy that comes out as rays or waves, like sunlight
66
5.5
A particle in an atom's nucleus with no electric charge and mass like a proton
3
6.5
Rays strong enough to take electrons away from atoms
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is transparently composed: a B1 learner who knows 'neutron' (a neutral atomic particle) and 'radiation' (energy or particles emitted) can infer this refers to radiation made up of neutrons. This noun+noun technical combination follows a common compositional pattern (cross-linguistically common), so the sense is derivable from its parts even if the topic is scientific.
Etymology
Neutron radiation comes from a simple, literal idea: neutrons are tiny particles that come out during nuclear reactions, and radiation means a flow of those particles. So neutron radiation today means 'radiation made of neutrons', which is why special shielding and care are needed when it is present.