What is "radiation chemistry"

n. (context physics chemistry English) The study of the chemical changes that result from the absorption of ionizing radiation.

Radiation chemistry is a subdivision of nuclear chemistry which is the study of the chemical effects of radiation on matter; this is very different from radiochemistry as no radioactivity needs to be present in the material which is being chemically changed by the radiation. An example is the conversion of water into hydrogen gas and hydrogen peroxide.