doseequivalent

The dose equivalent is a quantity used in radiation protection to express the biological risk from exposure to ionizing radiation. It is a measure of the biological effect of absorbed radiation, taking into account the type of radiation and the sensitivity of the exposed tissue. The dose equivalent is expressed in units of sieverts (Sv) or rems (1 Sv = 100 rem).

The dose equivalent is calculated by multiplying the absorbed dose by a radiation weighting factor (wR) and a tissue weighting factor (wT). The radiation weighting factor accounts for the different biological effectiveness of various types of radiation. For example, alpha particles have a higher wR than gamma rays, meaning they are more damaging for the same absorbed dose. The tissue weighting factor accounts for the different sensitivities of various organs and tissues to radiation. For instance, the gonads are more sensitive than skin.

The absorbed dose, measured in grays (Gy) or rads (1 Gy = 100 rad), is the amount of energy deposited by ionizing radiation per unit mass of material. The dose equivalent helps to standardize the assessment of radiation risk by converting absorbed doses from different radiation types and exposures to different tissues into a common scale that reflects their relative biological impact. This allows for consistent comparison and regulation of radiation exposure across various scenarios and industries.