Question

Arrange the following according to their ability to act as radiation shields, with the best first and worst last. Explain your ordering in terms of how radiation loses its energy in matter.

(a) A solid material with low density composed of low-mass atoms.

(b) A gas composed of high-mass atoms.

(c) A gas composed of low-mass atoms.

(d) A solid with high density composed of high-mass atoms.

Short answer

Rank wise ability to act as radiation shields \(\left( {\rm{d}} \right){\rm{ > }}\left( {\rm{a}} \right){\rm{ > }}\left( {\rm{b}} \right){\rm{ > }}\left( {\rm{c}} \right)\)

Step-by-step solution

 Radiation loses its energy in matter

The solid materials generally considered as better radiation shielding material than gas. As the tendency to shield the radiation is depend on the density and size of the atoms. So having more density and size increases the more absorption and shielding to the radiation. So the decreasing order of ability to shield radiation is,

(d)A solid with high density composed of high-mass atoms.

(a)A solid material with low density composed of low mass atoms.

(b)A gas composed of high -mass atoms

(c)A gas composed of low-mass atoms

\({\rm{ i}}{\rm{.e (c) > (a) > (b) > (c)}}\)

Therefore, Rank wiseability to act as radiation shields\(\left( {\rm{d}} \right){\rm{ > }}\left( {\rm{a}} \right){\rm{ > }}\left( {\rm{b}} \right){\rm{ > }}\left( {\rm{c}} \right)\)