radiation shielding

Syllable breakdown

Dictionary meaning

the use of materials placed between a radiation source and people or sensitive equipment to attenuate or absorb ionising radiation and reduce dose to acceptable levels; different types of radiation require different shielding approaches: alpha particles are stopped by a few centimetres of air or a sheet of paper; beta particles require several millimetres of aluminium or similar low-atomic-number material; gamma rays and X-rays require dense high-atomic-number materials such as lead or thick concrete; neutrons are best moderated and absorbed by hydrogen-rich materials such as water, polyethylene, or borated materials; radiation shielding design is a critical aspect of nuclear reactor design, medical radiotherapy facilities, industrial radiography, and space vehicle design for missions beyond the Earth's protective magnetosphere