Sinag gamma

Ang mga silahis gamma, tinatawag ding sinag gamma, aninag gamma, banaag gamma, liwayway gamma, alinagnag gamma, bakas-rayang gamma, o rayos gamma (Ingles: gamma ray o γ-ray) ay mga alon o daluyong na elektromagnetiko na may pinakamaliit na liboyhaba sa ispektrong elektromagnetiko. Natuklasan ito ni Paul Villard noong 1900, at pinangalanan ni Ernest Rutherford noong 1903.

Ang mga rayong gamma' ay nagagawa ng ilang mga uri ng mga atomong radyo-aktibo. Katulad ang mga ito ng mga rayos ekis. Kapwa mga poton ang rayos gamma at mga rayos ekis na may napakataas na mga enerhiya. Ang rayong gamma ay isa ring uri ng radyasyon. Nakapaglalakbay ang sinag gamma papasok sa makakapal na mga materyal.

Cobalt-60 and potassium-40 are two isotopes that emit gamma rays. Cobalt-60 is created in accelerators and is used in hospitals. Potassium-40 occurs naturally. Small amounts of potassium-40 are in all plants and animals. Gamma rays from potassium-40 each have an energy of 1460 thousand electron volts (keV).

Gamma rays and X-rays are now usually distinguished by their origin: X-rays are emitted by electrons outside the nucleus, while gamma rays are emitted by the nucleus.

Gamma rays in medicine

Gamma rays can also go through the skin to kill cells, such as cancerous cells. Doctors can use machines which produce gamma rays in hospitals to treat people with some types of cancer.

Doctors also use gamma rays to find disease. In hospitals, doctors can give patients radioactive medicine which emits gamma rays. Doctors can find some types of disease by measuring gamma rays which come from a patient afterward. You can also use Gamma Rays to clean Hospital material.