title: The effective atomic number revisited in the light of modern photon-interaction cross-section databases.
abstract: The effective atomic number, Z(eff), has been calculated for fatty acids and cysteine. It is shown that Z(eff) is a useful parameter for low-Z materials at any energy above 1 keV. Absorption edges of medium-Z elements may complicate the energy dependence of Z(eff) below 10 keV. The notion of Z(eff) is perhaps most useful at energies where Compton scattering is dominating, and where Z(eff) is equal to the mean atomic number, Z, over a wide energy range around 1 MeV.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, Gulbarga University, Gulbarga, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: S R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Manohara
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Hanagodimath
authors.forename: K S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Thind
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gerward
mesh_terms: D001704:Biopolymers / Q000737:chemistry / Q000528:radiation effects; D003198:Computer Simulation; D003545:Cysteine / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000528:radiation effects*; D016208:Databases, Factual; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000528:radiation effects*; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D008970:Molecular Weight; D011789:Quantum Theory; D011829:Radiation Dosage
chemical_list: D001704:Biopolymers; D005227:Fatty Acids; D003545:Cysteine