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Yes, but anything will block all radiation, if you use enough of it. Lead, being very dense, is very efficient in blocking most radiation even in fairly modest thicknesses. For example, when you go to the dentist for an X-ray, the radiologist covers you with a lead-foil apron.
The very best material to block radiation, in terms of cost, is about a half-mile thickness of dirt. Cheap, and very effective. However, it is difficult to transport. Some types of radiation, like alpha particles, can be blocked very effectively by a sheet of paper. Electromagnetic radiation such as gamma rays or X-rays requires a material with high density to block it.
Wiki User
∙ 14y ago
Wiki User
∙ 14y agoActually, some can. Different kinds of radiation can pass through different things with different amounts of difficulty. Data on what sorts of things stop what sorts of radiation have been prepared empirically. Lead is good for stopping alpha, beta, and gamma rays, but not for neutrons.
Alpha particles (which can be thought of as helium nuclei) are fairly easily stopped. A piece of paper will stop most of them.
Beta particles (which are electrons) can mostly be stopped by a piece of aluminum foil.
Gamma rays (which are very energetic photons) penetrate deeply and are difficult to stop. They can be stopped by lead, but the amount of lead needed to stop them varies with the energy of the gamma rays. Perhaps surprisingly, one thing that is a better shield for gamma rays is depleted uranium.
Neutrons are difficult to stop, but they can be slowed down by elements with small nuclei, such as the carbon in graphite, or hydrogen in water, among other things. They hit the atoms and usually bounce, losing energy and speed, and changing direction. Since they do not last very long, they often just bounce around and then decay. When they decay, they become protons, and give off electrons and electron antineutrinos in the process. This makes them into hydrogen ions. Their half life is a bit less than 15 minutes.
Wiki User
∙ 12y agono radiation can pass through,gamma, beta or alpha they are all stopped by lead.
Wiki User
∙ 13y agoPretty much any type, since Gamma radiation can be blocked and it has one of the lowest wavelengths, meaning that it can pass through a lot of things.
Wiki User
∙ 12y agoMost, except neutrons and high energy gamma.
Wiki User
∙ 7y agoNeutrinos can pass through any material. Also gamma radiation can pentrate a thin foil of lead.
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What is a thin pointed piece of metal?
a thin pointed piece of metal is called a spike
Thin piece of wood that covers the roof?
A thin piece of wood that covers a roof is called a shingle.
Can alpha penetrate aluminum but not concrete?
Alpha particles do not penetrate much. They are stopped by a few inches of air. They do not penetrate a piece of paper well, and are stopped by aluminum and concrete. Beta particles can penetrate better, but are stopped by rather thin pieces of aluminum. High energy beta particles are shielded with plastics, wood, or water. Gamma rays are best absorbed by atoms with heavy nuclei. Neutrons are usually either absorbed by atoms or moderated to the point of having little energy. Unlike the other emissions, neutrons have a half life, which is a little less than fifteen minutes.
Is lead pipe a compound or element?
It would be an alloy with some compounds (lead oxides) in a thin layer on its surface.
What are the most penetrating type of radiation?
Alpha Radiation can be absorbed by a thin sheet of paper or a few cm or air. Beta Radiation can be absorbed by a thin piece of foil, or a few m of air. Gamma Radiation can only be absorbed by a thick lead plate.
What sort of radiation absorbs or reflect radiation?
It doesn't absorb clever. It penetrates, and it can penetrate paper, smoke, a layer of skin and thin aluminium.
What can beta radiation absorb?
It doesn't absorb clever. It penetrates, and it can penetrate paper, smoke, a layer of skin and thin aluminium.
Is lead more radiopaque then bone?
Lead. Even a thin layer of lead blocks most radiation, where bone is fairly transparent at many frequencies.
What type of nuclear radiation can be blocked by a block of lead Beta particles or alpha particles?
Both Beta and alpha particles can be blocked by a block of lead. Alpha particles can even be blocked by a sheet of paper, and beta particles can be blocked by a thin aluminium plate.
Defferentiate the three types of nuclear radiation?
Alpha and Beta particles are actually physical particles of matter. The Alpha is two protons and two neutrons, and consequently is relatively very heavy and slow and carries a double positive charge.. A Beta is simply an electron and has a negative charge. The Beta may be moving from very slow to very fast, and the speed is an indication of it's "energy level". Gamma Radiation is a true electromagnetic energy, and moves at or near the speed of light. Alphas can barely penetrate anything, not even a piece of paper. Betas do a bit better but still can only penetrate a thin piece of aluminum. Gammas on the other hand can penetrate inches of lead and feet of most other things. These differences can be used to our advantage if wee seek to determine the nature and composition of any "radiation" we are investigating. To discriminate the types of radiation, all you need to do is understand the characteristics of your particular probe, and have a few pieces of "absorber" material on hand. If the radiation is stopped by a single piece of typing paper, it is undoubtedly Alpha particles. If it takes a piece of tin foil or a very thin aluminum sheet to stop most of it, you are probably looking a Betas. Of course the tin foil also stops all Alphas too. Gamma rays will easily pass through steel, aluminum and it takes 1" of lead to stop even 1/2 of it. Nothing actually "stops" Gamma rays, it is a matter that 1/2" of lead statistically blocks 1/2 of the rays, the next 1/2" will block 1/2 of what's left etc. etc. until the remaining ray is insignificant. Each absorbing material, be it lead, earth, water whatever has a statistical "half-thickness" assigned to it. In real life, radioactive materials seldom emit only one kind or energy level of radiation, but rather a mixture. It is this characteristic mixture that helps to identify and quantify the particular material being observed.
What is a 5 letter word for a thin piece of wood?
A thin piece of wood?
Why should mobile phones not be band from children under 12?
Actually - children under 12 they should be banned from using mobiles ! There is on-going research into the effects of the microwave radiation given out by mobile phones on the user. Children have thin skulls - allowing the microwave radiation to penetrate deeper into the users brain.
What materials can nuclear radiation travel through?
The heavier and denser the material the more radiation it absorbs. Alpha is stopped by thin sheets, in fact the skin stops it mostly so it does not penetrate the body. Beta and gamma are best stopped by lead or concrete. Neutrons are more penetrating, they need to be stopped by hydrogenous material. Concrete is effective but needs to be thick. Water itself is a good neutron shield, as are heavy plastics and waxes. So radiation can travel through light materials and gases (and a vacuum), with the proviso about neutrons as above.
What products can you use little of and still block radiation?
It depends on what kind of radiation... Alpha radiation can be stopped with a sheet of paper or a few inches of air. Beta radiation can be stopped with a thin sheet of metal. Neutron radiation, depending on energy, requires large thicknesses of lead or concrete. Gamma radiation, depending on energy, also requires large thicknesses of lead or concrete. Some of the higher energy gammas, such as cosmic rays, can be quite difficult to stop at all.
What is a thin pointed piece of metal?
a thin pointed piece of metal is called a spike
What is the difference between alpha beta and gamma?
Alpha - these are fast moving helium atoms. They have high energy, typically in the MeV range, but due to their large mass, they are stopped by just a few inches of air, or a piece of paper.Beta - these are fast moving electrons. They typically have energies in the range of a few hundred keV to several MeV. Since electrons are might lighter than helium atoms, they are able to penetrate further, through several feet of air, or several millimeters of plastic or less of very light metals.Gamma - these are photons, just like light, except of much higher energy, typically from several keV to several MeV. X-Rays and gamma rays are really the same thing, the difference is how they were produced. Depending on their energy, they can be stopped by a thin piece of aluminum foil, or they can penetrate several inches of lead.
What are the disadvanteges of an astronaut?
Its a dangerous profession. Getting life insurance can be difficult & expensive. The environment (radiation, temperature, pressure) and speeds involved lead to a thin margin of safety.
