[Godwin Ko]

Godwin Ko  asked the Naked Scientists:
   
Hi Chris

I am an occasional listener.

I have a question: you know how Scotch/sticky tape emits X-rays, do normal stickers (i.e. labels) also emit X-rays? I work peeling many stickers each day and am somewhat concerned for my safety.

Thanks.

Regards,

Godwin

What do you think?

[lyner]

If you get high enough voltage sparks then you get X rays (it's all to do with 'electron volts').
You can get many thousands of volts of 'static' when combing hair, walking on carpets and, I imagine, from peeling tape and stickers, sometimes (depending on how well the tape and adhesive insulate). This is easily enough to produce X rays.
The actual dose involved is too tiny to bother you.

[BenV]

Sticky tape only emitted a measurable amount of x-rays when it was unrolled in a vacuum, the presence of air slowing the moving charges enough to release their energy as visible light.  So unless you're unpeeling your stickers in a vacuum, I wouldn't worry!

[lyner]

Mean free path strikes again.