Ionic Radiation
High-energy electromagnetic radiation (X-rays, gamma rays) and particle radiation (alpha, beta) that ionize atoms and cause DNA damage.
Formula
Effective dose (Sv) = absorbed dose (Gy) × radiation weighting factor
Real World
Following the 1986 Chernobyl disaster, thyroid cancer rates in children in Belarus and Ukraine rose sharply due to ingestion of radioactive iodine-131 — a direct ionising radiation health impact studied extensively by the WHO.
Exam Focus
Use correct units: Gray (Gy) for absorbed dose, Sievert (Sv) for effective dose — mixing them loses marks on quantitative questions.
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