Multiple choice

Which of the following unit of measurement is used to derive equivalent dose of a radioactive isotope?

  1. Roentgen

  2. Radiation Absorbed Dose (rad)

  3. Roentgen Equivalent Man (rem)

  4. Curie

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

The rem is a unit used to derive a quantity called equivalent dose. This relates the absorbed dose in human tissue to the effective biological damage of the radiation. Not all radiation has the same biological effect, even for the same amount of absorbed dose. Equivalent dose is often expressed in terms of thousandths of a rem, or mrem. To determine equivalent dose (rem), you multiply absorbed dose (rad) by a quality factor (Q) that is unique to the type of incident radiation. For gamma rays and beta particles, 1 rad of exposure results in 1 rem of dose.