How do nuclear ionizers work?
Nuclear ionizers commonly use polonium-210 as a radioactive element that emits alpha particles. Alpha particles are helium nuclei having two protons and two neutrons. Alpha particles have a range of less than 3 cm before they are stopped by collisions with the molecules of the gases in the air. When the alpha particles collide with gas molecules, they dislodge electrons from the molecules. Each gas molecule that loses an electron becomes a positive ion. The dislodged electrons are rapidly captured by other gas molecules. These gas molecules gain an electron and become negative ions.
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