Energy of the Radiation - DOE-HDBK-1109-97

DOE-HDBK-1109-97

Radiological Safety Training for Radiation-Producing (X-Ray) Devices

Instructor's Guide

Lesson Plan

Instructor's Notes

contracting fatal cancer without consideration of a

threshold for effects. This conservative assumption

is sometimes called the "linear no threshold"

relationship of health effects to dose.

iii. Energy of the Radiation.

The energy of X-rays can vary from less than 1 keV

up to more than 10 MeV. The higher the energy of

the X-ray, the more penetrating it will be into body

tissue.

Lower energy X-rays are largely absorbed in the

skin. They can cause a significant skin dose but

may contribute little dose to the whole body

(depending on energy).

iv. Area of the Body Exposed.

Just as a burn to a large portion of the body is more

damaging than a burn confined to a smaller area, so

also is a radiation dose to the whole body more

damaging than a dose to only a small area. In

addition, the larger the area, the more difficult it is

for the body to repair the damage.

v. Individual Sensitivity.

Some individuals are more sensitive to radiation

than others. Age, gender, and overall health can

have an effect on how the body responds to

radiation exposure.