X-ray Protection
There are three cardinal rules of radiation protection and they are all used by X-ray professionals.
Time: During an X-ray, the beam is produced only long enough to obtain a good image. That time will vary greatly due to factors such as size or the atomic structure of the area being examined. For people who are exposed to radiation, limiting or minimizing the exposure time will reduce the dose from the radiation source.
Distance: According to an inverse square law, distance is a great X-ray protection strategy. X-ray intensity decreases sharply as you move away from the source so stay back or get out of the room.
Shielding: Many barriers such as lead, concrete and other dense materials give effective protection from radiation and energetic particles like gamma rays and neutrons. Some radioactive materials are stored or handled underwater or by remote control in rooms constructed of thick barriers lined with lead. In our modern age, there are special plastic shields which stop beta particles. While simple air will stop alpha particles. The effectiveness of a material in shielding radiation is determined by its calculating it's halve value thicknesses, the thickness of material that reduces the radiation by half. This value is a function of the material, the energy and type of ionizing radiation involved.
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