Is Hydrogen Gas Transparent to Gamma Rays? And What About Xenon Gas?

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SUMMARY

Hydrogen gas is transparent to gamma rays due to its low atomic mass and density, resulting in minimal attenuation compared to denser materials like water or lead. This transparency means that gamma rays do not significantly heat hydrogen gas. In contrast, xenon gas, being denser, would interact more with gamma rays, leading to greater attenuation. The interaction probability of gamma rays with matter is directly influenced by the atomic mass and density of the substance.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of gamma ray physics
  • Knowledge of atomic mass and density concepts
  • Familiarity with ionization processes in gases
  • Basic principles of radiation interaction with matter
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the interaction of gamma rays with various gases, focusing on atomic mass and density
  • Study the ionization effects of gamma rays on hydrogen and xenon
  • Explore the properties of liquefied hydrogen and its gamma ray attenuation characteristics
  • Investigate the implications of gamma ray transparency in astrophysical contexts
USEFUL FOR

Physicists, astrophysicists, and researchers in radiation physics who are interested in the interaction of gamma rays with different gases and their implications in various scientific fields.

Northprairieman
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I remember reading before that hydrogen gas is "transparent" to gamma rays. What does this mean? I know it has something to do with the gamma rays not heating the hydrogen. Also, would Xenon gas be transparent to gamma rays?
 
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According to this abstract (haven't bothered reading the paper yet), gamma ray bursts can ionize neutral hydrogen at radii of 50-100 parsecs.

http://arxiv.org/abs/0802.0737
 
Northprairieman said:
I remember reading before that hydrogen gas is "transparent" to gamma rays. What does this mean? I know it has something to do with the gamma rays not heating the hydrogen. Also, would Xenon gas be transparent to gamma rays?

The probability of a gamma ray to interact with matter is dependent on the mass of the atom and the density of the substance. Because hydrogen is light, and at atmospheric conditions the density is very low, gammas are attenuated very little compared to water or lead. If hydrogen was liquefied and pressurized, it would attenuate more gammas (but still not as much as water since hydrogen is still lighter then a water molecule).
 

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