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RE: Activity and Dose Analogies
Interesting !
I will remember that. I have sometimes used the example of a hot water
radiator to explain the difference between radiation and contamination.
Its not perfect of course but goes like ...
A hot water radiator is filled with hot water - the water can be likened
if you will to radioactive material, and the radiator itself the source
containment.
If you go up to the radiator you are exposed to thermal heat, which one
can assume is similar to that for exposure to a source (please ignore
the exact physics here). As you walk away from the radiator your
exposure reduces. At no point does the 'water' come into contact with
you.
You then walk up to the radiator - its sprung a leak and the water is
spraying at you. Now you are not only exposed to the heat from the
radiator itself, but also the heat from the water which is landing on
you. Walking away from the radiator will still reduce your 'direct
exposure', but the water which landed on you will still deposit its
thermal energy (i.e. it stays with you), in a similar way to you
becoming contaminated with radioactive material from a leaking source.
The above actually works better if presented as an animation (I have
used this in some training course). Its been particularly useful when
explaining the concept of food irradiation - I remember being asked if
the radiation 'sticks' to irradiated tomatoes! Actually come to think of
it, I remember my Grandmother arguing that she would never use a
microwave because the microwaves stick in the food so I suppose the
analogy could work with non-ionising radiation too.
Cheers all
Mark
Mark Ramsay
Radiation Protection Adviser
IonActive Consulting
www.ionactive.co.uk
mark.ramsay@ionactive.co.uk
0118 3759168
07841 435377 (mobile)
0871 7333945 (fax)
IonActive Consulting
PO Box 7
Farmers End
Charvil
Berkshire
RG10 9RZ
'Radiation Protection Adviser Career'
http://www.ionactive.co.uk/radiation_protection_FAQ/RPA_Career/Radiation
-Protection-Adviser-Career.htm
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-radsafe@list.vanderbilt.edu
[mailto:owner-radsafe@list.vanderbilt.edu] On Behalf Of Jim Blute
Sent: 29 December 2004 14:06
To: Stabin, Michael
Cc: radsafe@list.vanderbilt.edu
Subject: RE: Activity and Dose Analogies
Mike,
I like this. I have used guns and bullets as an analogy often for the
same purpose and have often received comments that this might be too
harsh and scary an analogy. I must admit I agree. The boxer is still a
bit violent but less associated with death than a gun. Yet still
something everyone is familiar with.
I am sure there must be better than that still. Something less violent
but still physically comparable.
Thanks for the post Mike.
Any other good analogies out there?
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-radsafe@list.vanderbilt.edu
[mailto:owner-radsafe@list.vanderbilt.edu]On Behalf Of Stabin, Michael
Sent: Wednesday, December 29, 2004 6:52 AM
To: radsafe
Subject: BBC analogies
This showed up in a technical report I was reading. No reference was
given. I just thought it was interesting.
The British Broadcasting Company (BBC) has provided an illustrative
boxing analogy to contrast what is intended by the three international
radiation measures. It depicts, for the public, the qualitative
differences between Bq, Gy and Sv as:
Bq: " a measure of how many punches are thrown without regard to whether
they are roundhouses, hooks, jabs, or even if they connect at all."
Gy: "a unit that measures whether the punch is a strong uppercut or just
a little jab. However, the gray wouldn't show the cumulative effect of
something like 100 jabs to the exact same spot on the cheekbone versus
one hard punch to the solar plexus"
Sv: "useful in determining the likelihood that (the boxer) might suffer
some long-term damage as a result of this pummeling." "In short, a Sv is
the most useful but complicated and subjective unit for measuring
radiation effects on people."
Mike
Michael G. Stabin, PhD, CHP
Assistant Professor of Radiology and Radiological Sciences Department of
Radiology and Radiological Sciences Vanderbilt University
1161 21st Avenue South
Nashville, TN 37232-2675
Phone (615) 343-0068
Fax (615) 322-3764
Pager (615) 835-5153
e-mail michael.g.stabin@vanderbilt.edu
internet www.doseinfo-radar.com
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