massabsorptionskoefficienten

The mass absorption coefficient, often denoted by the Greek letter $\mu/\rho$, is a measure of how effectively a substance absorbs electromagnetic radiation per unit mass. It is defined as the ratio of the linear absorption coefficient ($\mu$) to the density ($\rho$) of the material. The unit of the mass absorption coefficient is typically cm$^2$/g. This quantity is independent of the physical state and density of the material, making it a useful parameter for comparing the absorptive properties of different substances.

The mass absorption coefficient is dependent on the energy of the incident radiation and the atomic composition of the material. For a given material, it generally decreases as the energy of the radiation increases, although there are specific energy ranges, known as absorption edges, where the coefficient can increase sharply due to the excitation of inner-shell electrons. Understanding the mass absorption coefficient is crucial in various fields, including medical imaging (like X-ray attenuation), radiation shielding, and materials science, where it helps predict how radiation will interact with matter. It quantifies the probability of photon interaction with atoms within a material, considering the number of atoms present per unit mass.