What is a Gamma Ray?
Gamma rays are the form of electromagnetic radiation with the most energy and the tiniest wavelength. They are defined as waves with a period (wavelength) of less than 1 picometer, which is 0.1 nanometers. By comparison, the diameter of a hydrogen atom is 50 picometers. Therefore the wavelength of gamma radiation is by definition subatomic. Their energy is on the order of 1.25 MeV (mega-electron-volts) or above. Gamma rays are generated in very energetic events such as supernovae, in and around bodies of exotic matter like neutron stars, pulsars, and black holes, or in a less spectacular fashion when radioactive nuclei break down in the interstellar medium. The wavelength of gamma rays can drop as low as 10-15 or 0.000001 nanometers, around the classic radius of an electron. As the wavelength decreases, the corresponding energy increases. Because of their huge energy, gamma rays are extremely hard to stop. To shield something from gamma rays requires thick shields (1m+) of substances w
