Range
The quantity range (R) describes the distance that a charged particle travels in matter. The range is the integral of the reciprocal stopping power (S):R = ∫ dE / S
Instead of the linear range R (in m), often the mass range ρ×R (in kg·m-2) is given. Here, ρ is the density (in kg·m-3) of the material.
Some useful formulas:
| particle | material | energy (MeV) |
linear range (cm) |
mass range (g·cm-2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| α-particle | air | 2 - 10 | 0.3 E3/2 | |
| proton | air | 1 - 200 | E2 | |
| electron | any | 1 - 10 | 0.5 E |