  In this review the basic interaction mechanisms of charged and neutral
particles are presented. The ionization energy loss of charged particles is
fundamental to most particle detectors and is therefore described in more
detail. The production of electromagnetic radiation in various spectral ranges
leads to the detection of charged particles in scintillation, Cherenkov and
transition radiation counters. Photons are measured via the photoelectric
effect, Compton scattering or pair production, and neutrons through their
nuclear interactions. A combination of the various detector methods helps to
identify elementary particles and nuclei. At high energies absorption
techniques in calorimeters provide additional particle identification and an
accurate energy measurement.
