Dan Holcomb, age 13, of Dallas, Texas, for his question:

What are gamma rays?

We hear that gamma rays are a danger arising from radioactivity, and so they are. When radioactivity tales place, larger atoms break into smaller atoms and terrific energy is released in the process. One form of the energy is released as high‑powered gamma rays.

Gamma rays are actually electromagnetic waves. They resemble X‑rays, far though they are / more penetrating and usually of shorter wave length. They can penetrate through several inches of lead and about one foot of a liquid

In nature, gamma rays are part of the radioactive decay going on in substances such as uranium. But mankind has tamed at least one of these substances to work for him. Radium is one of the substances which forms during radioactive decay. lend the gamma rays from radium arc used to treat the dread disease cancer.