nuclear physics - How Does Lead Block Radiation

How is it that lead can block radiation, and things are lead lined. In the Indiana Jones 4 movie he climbs inside a lead-lined fridge and he somehow survives the blast and radiation?

Answer

Lead is used to block radiation because:

1. It is very dense. This means that the number of interactions that a radiation particle will undergo is higher over a fixed distance which causes the radiation to attenuate.


2. It has a high proton number Z. This means that the charged radiation particles will scatter through large angles, also causing attenuation.