Insights Blog
-- Browse All Articles --
Physics Articles
Physics Tutorials
Physics Guides
Physics FAQ
Math Articles
Math Tutorials
Math Guides
Math FAQ
Education Articles
Education Guides
Bio/Chem Articles
Technology Guides
Computer Science Tutorials
Forums
Classical Physics
Quantum Physics
Quantum Interpretations
Special and General Relativity
Atomic and Condensed Matter
Nuclear and Particle Physics
Beyond the Standard Model
Cosmology
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Other Physics Topics
Trending
Featured Threads
Log in
Register
What's new
Search
Search
Search titles only
By:
Classical Physics
Quantum Physics
Quantum Interpretations
Special and General Relativity
Atomic and Condensed Matter
Nuclear and Particle Physics
Beyond the Standard Model
Cosmology
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Other Physics Topics
Menu
Log in
Register
Navigation
More options
Contact us
Close Menu
JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding.
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an
alternative browser
.
Forums
Physics
High Energy, Nuclear, Particle Physics
What Determines Whether Radiation Passes Through Materials?
Reply to thread
Message
[QUOTE="mfb, post: 6043418, member: 405866"] The human body absorbs some part of the x-rays, that's how the x-ray images are created. Human bodies filling the same volume would give about the same shielding properties (especially as humans are mainly water anyway) but they can't be used in nuclear power plants for obvious reasons. Concrete would give similar shielding, steel and lead would give better shielding. Mercury would give better shielding. But all these materials would make handling the material more difficult. Water is cheap, it is not toxic and it makes handling the material inside easy. > Also, why is it that visible light is able to extend through water, but not the higher spectrum stuff (e.g. x rays and gamma rays)? There are no excitations of water molecules with transition energies in the energy range of visible light, and visible light doesn't have the energy to ionize water molecules either. > And in general, what determines if a chemical is likely to block high frequency radiation or if it is likely to pass through it? Available transitions between energy levels and the ability to ionize the molecule. [/QUOTE]
Insert quotes…
Post reply
Forums
Physics
High Energy, Nuclear, Particle Physics
What Determines Whether Radiation Passes Through Materials?
Back
Top