This thesis is devoted to the investigation of the phenomenon of quantum radiation -- i.e. the conversion of the (virtual) quantum fluctuations of a quantised field into (real) particles owing to the influence of external conditions. For that purpose a canonical particle (and thereby vacuum) definition is presented for a quantum field in the presence of specific external conditions. Utilising this set-up the number of Rindler particles in the Minkowski vacuum is calculated explicitly where the Unruh effect is recovered. Focusing on the gravitational collapse of an object the number of created particles accounting for the Hawking effect is derived and the dependence of the results on the dynamics of the collapse is discussed. Furthermore the influence of finite initial temperatures is investigated for a weakly time-dependent perfectly conducting cavity (dynamical Casimir effect), a dynamical dielectric medium, and the Friedmann-Robertson-Walker metric. Finally the problems arising from the consideration of interacting fields are outlined by means of a simple example.