The kinetics of the Co-60 gamma ray-initiated inverse emulsion polymerization of aqueous sodium acrylate solutions in kerosene with Span 80 as the emulsifier was investigated. The conversion-time curves were analyzed using the equation [epsilon x/(1 - epsilon) - ln(1 - x)] = B (constant) + [(n) over bar k(p)(Vp infinityNA)]t, derived on the basis of a monomer droplet nucleation mechanism. The following expressions were obtained for K = [(n) over bar k(p)/(Vp infinityNA)] under the experimental conditions investigated : K proportional to [dose rate](0.9)[sodium acrylate](0.5) [Span 80](0.4), which was simplified to (n) over bar proportional to [dose rate](0.9), (n) over bar k(p) proportional to [sodium acrylate](0.5), and (n) over bar/V-p infinity proportional to [Span 80](0.4). The polymerization rate during the steady state (approximate conversion range 20-80%) could be expressed by R(p) = KxC(0) proportional to [dose rate](0.9)[sodium acrylate](1.5)[Span 80](0.4). The kinetic analysis suggests a dose rate independent polymerization process for the system studied such that, at any time, there was only one active passage of radiation through a droplet, viz., all polymer radicals resulting from a radiation passage were terminated before another passage.