Which type of radiation loses energy with each ionization and has a range of a few feet in air?

The type of radiation that loses energy with each ionization and has a limited range in air, typically only a few feet, is a beta particle. Beta particles, which are high-energy, high-speed electrons or positrons emitted by certain types of radioactive nuclei, interact with matter primarily through ionization. Each time a beta particle collides with an atom, it transfers some of its energy, leading to ionization. This energy loss through continuous interactions limits the distance beta particles can travel in air, generally on the order of a few feet.

In contrast, alpha particles, while also losing energy quickly through ionization, have a significantly shorter range, typically just a few centimeters in air, due to their larger mass and greater charge. Gamma rays and X-rays, being electromagnetic radiation, can travel much farther in air and do not lose energy through ionization in the same way beta particles do; rather, they tend to penetrate materials more deeply before being absorbed or scattered. This characteristic is what differentiates beta particles from the other types of radiation mentioned in the question.