Radiation is energy that comes from a source and travels through material or space. Every day, Canadians come in contact with radiation in both their living and work environments. Radiation can be classified as ionizing or non-ionizing. Ionizing radiation has sufficient energy to remove electrons from atoms or molecules. The loss of an electron results in the formation of a charged atom, called an ion. The damaging effects of ionizing radiation result from this ability to change the chemical composition of matter with which it interacts.