Radiation Converter
Convert between radiation units - absorbed dose, equivalent dose, and radioactivity
Radiation Unit Converter
Energy deposited by ionizing radiation per unit mass
10⁻⁶ Gray
10⁻³ Gray
10⁻² Gray
Base SI unit (J/kg)
CGS unit (0.01 Gy)
Absorbed Dose Conversion
Current input: 1 mGy
Base unit (Gray (Gy)): 0.001000000
Safety Warning
This calculator is for educational purposes only. For radiation safety decisions, always consult qualified radiation safety professionals and follow official regulations.
Common Radiation Exposures
| Source | Dose | Unit | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eating one banana | 0.1 | µSv | equivalent |
| Chest X-ray | 10 | µSv | equivalent |
| Dental X-ray | 100 | µSv | equivalent |
| CT scan (head) | 1 | mSv | equivalent |
| CT scan (abdomen) | 7 | mSv | equivalent |
| Annual background radiation | 2.4 | mSv | equivalent |
| Annual limit for radiation workers | 20 | mSv | equivalent |
| Threshold for radiation sickness | 2 | Gy | absorbed |
| LD₅₀ (lethal dose for 50%) | 4.5 | Gy | absorbed |
| Typical medical Tc-99m dose | 148 | GBq | activity |
* Values are approximate and for educational purposes. Actual doses may vary.
Radiation Measurement Types
Absorbed Dose
Energy deposited per unit mass
Gray (Gy), rad
Equivalent Dose
Biological effectiveness weighted
Sievert (Sv), rem
Radioactivity
Decays per second
Becquerel (Bq), Curie (Ci)
Key Conversions
Safety Guidelines
Annual public limit: 1 mSv/year
Worker limit: 20 mSv/year
Acute symptoms: >1000 mSv
Background: ~2.4 mSv/year
CT scan: 1-15 mSv
Understanding Radiation Units
Types of Radiation Measurements
Absorbed Dose
Measures the energy deposited by radiation in matter. Expressed in Gray (Gy) or rad. Does not account for biological effectiveness.
Equivalent Dose
Absorbed dose weighted by radiation type and biological effectiveness. Expressed in Sievert (Sv) or rem. More relevant for health effects.
Radioactivity
Measures the rate of radioactive decay. Expressed in Becquerel (Bq) or Curie (Ci). Indicates source strength, not dose.
Radiation Weighting Factors
Formula: Equivalent Dose (Sv) = Absorbed Dose (Gy) × Radiation Weighting Factor
Tissue Weighting
Effective dose further weights equivalent dose by tissue sensitivity. Organs like colon, lung, and bone marrow have higher weighting factors than skin or salivary glands.
Practical Applications
Medical
- • Diagnostic imaging doses
- • Radiation therapy planning
- • Patient safety monitoring
- • Equipment calibration
Occupational
- • Worker dose monitoring
- • Safety limit compliance
- • Area monitoring
- • Emergency response
Environmental
- • Background radiation
- • Nuclear facility monitoring
- • Contamination assessment
- • Public safety