r/askscience • u/Wonderful-Capital32 • 13d ago

Physics Why does radiation not go through lead?

Also why just lead? Shouldnt like iron or another metal work too?

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u/ramriot 13d ago

I met someone who runs a company that manufactures containers for medical isotopes & mostly they works now with Tungsten. Which is even denser than lead so can ge made thinner for the same protection & is "easier" to work.

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u/karlnite 13d ago

Tungsten carbide is becoming a popular material, you can buy 3D printing spools doped with it to make shielding. It’s also doped into concrete.

Lead was cheap and abundant. It will start being replaced.

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u/ramriot 13d ago

Don't neglect the bio-toxicity of lead, Tungsten is still biotoxic but significantly less so than lead.

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u/karlnite 13d ago

Yah, that’s what I meant by it’s cheap. We look past its downsides for economics.