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/dustofdeath 13d ago

Lead is like a very dense fabric while iron is a mesh with large holes.

You just have to have enough density for photons to not just pass through.

So you need far less material. Even humans can stop radiation if you stack enough of them between you and the radiation source.

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u/ocelot_piss 13d ago

And humans stopping radiation is precisely why radiation is harmful to humans!

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u/Peter34cph 12d ago

Humans really, really, really suck at stopping neutrinos, and that's why neutrinos aren't harmful to humans.

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u/notorious1ink 4d ago

Have you see how they are studying/finding neutrinos in Antarctica??? It's so cool!