Mechanism of energy loss

The chemical effects of all high energy ionising radiations may be attributed to electrons produced within the medium. 

A fast neutron loses its energy by interaction with an atomic nucleus and ejection of a proton. A slow neutron is absorbed by the nucleus giving rise to a radioactive atom which may decompose by the emission of a /1-particle or y-ray. Charged particles in general lose their energy by inelastic collisions with the electrons within an atom leading to the ejection of an electron. 

Secondary electrons, i.e. those that have been ejected from atoms by incident radiation, will cause further ionisations or excitations until their energy is reduced to — kT, when they are said to be thermalised. They may then be captured by positive ions or neutral molecules. Since all ionising radiations then basically give rise to these secondary electrons, it is to be expected that their chemical effects will be essentially similar. 

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Thus, the excitation of collective plasmon-type states is one of the important mechanisms of energy loss by fast particles in thin layers of condensed matter, the thickness of which is much smaller than the path length of the particles. However, this is not necessarily so with thick absorbents, as it is sometimes erroneously stated (see, for instance, Ref. 3). 

Inelastically scattered electrons mechanisms of energy loss... 

Bakhmeteff, B.A., Allan, W. (1946). The mechanism of energy loss in fluid friction. Trans. ASCEUV. 1043-1102. 

The essential element of the formalism is a mechanism of energy loss of solitons. The traveling ID soliton (single file in Figure 2.33c) transfers energy to the SG sublattice. Soliton motion creates a perturbation of the SG sublattice, which emanates along... 

The main mechanism of energy loss below this energy occurs mainly by inelastic coUision between the incident particle and the orbital electrons of the medium. 

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