Re: Dose Correlation

["Richard C. Mannix" <rcmannix@uci.edu>]

At 01:43 PM 9/24/98 -0500, you wrote:

>In an older issue of RSO magazine, I found an article describing ways in
>which to present and increase the public's understanding of radiation
>topics. The author mentions a comparison to 5 rems of whole body dose as
>equivalent to the amount of energy required to light a 4 watt night light
>for 1 second.
>
>I find this an interesting analogy, but in what way might this be verified?
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I know what is meant, but it still seems like a weird analogy.

5 rems = 5 rads for a Quality Factor of 1.

1 rad = 100 ergs/gm; thus 5 rems (or rads) = 500 ergs/gm

A so-called "standard man" weighs 70 kg = 70,000 gm

500 ergs/gm x 70,000 gm = 3.5x10^7 ergs 

3.5x10^7 ergs x 1Joule/10^7 ergs = 3.5 Joules

A 4 Watt bulb on for 1 second = 4 Joule/sec x 1 sec = 4 Joules

Still, it's a crazy analogy.

Rick Mannix
Health Physicist
Laser Safety Officer
Univ. of Calif., Irvine
949-824-6098
rcmannix@uci.edu
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