Chaza imisebe ye-ionizing njengengane eneminyaka engu-12 ubudala.
Imisebe ye - ionizing ibangelwa lapho i - athomu esindayo kakhulu ikhipha inhlayiyana ngesivinini sokukhanya ebizwa ngokuthi imisebe ye - ionizing. Lapho ihlangana nento ethile, i-athomu ingamunca inhlayiya ye-ionizing noma Inhlayiya ye - ionizing ihlukanisa i - athomu kabili bese yakha izinhlayiya ezimbili ze - ionizing ezingadala ukusabela okunemfucumfucu. Kunezinhlobo ezintathu zezinhlayiya ezi-ionizing: i-alpha, i-beta ne-gamma Izinhlayiya ze-alpha ziphendula kakhulu ezintweni kodwa zihamba ibanga elifushane kakhulu.  Izinhlayiya ze-beta aziphenduli kangako kunezingxenyana ze-alpha, kodwa zihamba ibanga elifushane kakhulu. Izinhlayiya ze-alpha ziphendula kancane kunezinhlayiya ze-alpha ezintweni kodwa zihamba ibanga elide kunezinhlayiya ze-alpha.  Izinhlayiya ze-gamma ziphendula kancane ezintweni ezibonakalayo kunezinhlayiya ze-beta kodwa zihamba ibanga elide kunezinhlayiya ze-beta.