Lead shielding. When gamma rays are incident on matter, the intensity of the gamma rays passing through the material varies with depth x as I ( x ) = I0 e - µ x, where I0 is the intensity of the radiation at the surface of the material and µ is the absorption coefficient. For a certain energy of gamma rays, the absorption coefficient in lead is 1.54 cm-1.
(a) Determine the "half-thickness" for lead, that is, the thickness of lead that would absorb half the incident gamma rays.
cm
(b) What thickness will reduce the radiation by a factor of 106?
cm