核辐射破坏可以看作为辐射引起原子和（或）分子体系的改变。然而,核辐射与物质的全部相互作用最初是从原子,原子核或轨道电子,吸收能量开始的。这个能量吸收可以表现为物质分子或晶格结构的变化。这些变化可以导致物质工程性能的改善或降低。下边讨论的核辐射与物质的相互作用给出了微观的（原子等级的相互作用）和宏观的（分子或晶体等级对吸收的能量的反应）表示。 Nuclear radiation damage can be seen as the radiation caused by atomic and (or) molecular system changes. However, the full interaction of nuclear radiation with matter initially begins with atoms, nuclei or orbital electrons, absorbing energy. This energy absorption can be expressed as a change in the molecular or lattice structure of a substance. These changes can lead to improvements or reductions in material engineering performance. The interaction of nuclear radiation and matter discussed below gives a representation of the microscopic (atomic level interaction) and macroscopic (reaction of the molecular or crystalline level to the absorbed energy).