linear energy transfer

Linear Energy Transfer (LET) is a physics concept that describes how charged particles deposit energy as they travel through a medium. It's essentially the energy lost by a particle per unit of path length.1

Key points about LET:
* Energy Deposition: Charged particles, like ions, lose energy along their paths, creating "tracks".1
* Measurement: LET is often expressed as -dE/dx, representing the energy loss (dE) over a distance (dx).1
* Applications: High-LET radiations, such as protons and heavy ions, are used in cancer treatment due to their greater capacity to damage tumors.2
* Units: Energy is measured in joules (SI unit) or electron volts (eV) for atomic and subatomic scales.34