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One rad is defined as 0.01 joules of ionizing energy deposited per kilogram of tissue. If a 50.0 kg person absorbs 1.00 J of ionizing radiation evenly over their whole body, what is their whole-body dose in rad?
A0.02 rad
B0.50 rad
C2.00 rad
D50.0 rad
Answer & Solution
Correct answer: C. 2.00 rad
1. Dose in joules per kilogram is the absorbed energy divided by the mass: 1.00 J divided by 50.0 kg.
2. Dividing gives 0.0200 J/kg.
3. Since 1 rad equals 0.01 J/kg, divide 0.0200 by 0.01 to convert to rad.
4. Dividing gives 2.00 rad.
5. 0.02 rad forgets to convert from J/kg into rad, and 0.50 or 50.0 rad do not match this calculation.
6. So 2.00 rad is correct.
_Source: OpenStax Physics (CC BY 4.0), Ch 22 "The Atom", section 22.5 Medical Applications of Radioactivity: Diagnostic Imaging and Radiation_
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