Attenuation coefficient
MEASURE FOR THE EXPONENTIAL REDUCTION OF A QUANTITY ALONG A PATH DUE TO ABSORPTION AND SCATTERING
Absorption coefficient; Absorption Coefficient; Linear attenuation coefficient; Linear coefficient; Linear absorption coefficient; Narrow beam attenuation coefficient; Scattering coefficient
The linear attenuation coefficient, attenuation coefficient, or narrow-beam attenuation coefficient characterizes how easily a volume of material can be penetrated by a beam of light, sound, particles, or other energy or matter. A coefficient value that is large represents a beam becoming 'attenuated' as it passes through a given medium, while a small value represents that the medium had little effect on loss.