Question

Lead aprons are the primary radiation protective garments used by personnel during fluoroscopy. An apron with 0.25-mm thickness can attenuate approximately 50% of the X-ray radiation. Find linear and mass attenuation coefficients for lead, if it has density ρ = 11.35 g/cm3

Answer 1

The transmitted intensity is given by

We have

Putting it into the equation

The thickness of the apron is

Putting the values

So, the linear attenuation coefficient is 2773 m^(-1).

The density of the material is

And the mass attenuation coefficient is given by

So, the mass attenuation coefficient is 0.2443 m^(2)/kg.