What is the difference between absorbed dose and equivalent dose?

The correct answer pertains to how absorbed dose and equivalent dose are defined and measured in radiation protection.

Absorbed dose quantifies the amount of energy deposited by ionizing radiation per unit mass of the material (commonly measured in gray, Gy). It reflects the physical aspect of radiation exposure by indicating how much energy from radiation has been absorbed by a specific tissue or organ.

Equivalent dose takes this a step further by incorporating the biological effectiveness of different types of radiation on human tissue. It is calculated by multiplying the absorbed dose by a quality factor (also known as radiation weighting factor), which varies depending on the type of radiation (e.g., alpha particles, beta particles, gamma rays) because different radiations have different biological effects. The unit for equivalent dose is sievert (Sv).

Understanding this distinction is crucial for assessing radiation risk because it recognizes that not all radiation exposure results in the same level of biological damage, making equivalent dose a vital metric in radiation protection protocols.