Gamma Ray Attenuation Coefficient Determination
at Hobart and William Smith Colleges dept. of Physics
Fall 2019
Different materials attenuate gamma radiation to different extents. Within each material, different energy gamma rays are also attenuated differently. The extent that a material attenuates a gamma ray is determined by its attenuation coefficient, denoted k'.
By measuring the attenuation of different thicknesses of a material, the k' value of that material for a given energy can be determined. In this experiment, k' values were determined for lead and aluminum at several energies.
You can find the paper I wrote below, as well as the accompanying matlab scripts. Lab work was done in collaboration with a partner.
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The determined k' values for aluminum at several energies are plotted in blue. Black shows the expected k' value.
Gamma Paper