Abstract
The term health physics probably has a large number of definitions because it means many things to many practitioners of nuclear technology. As indicated above, health physics basically means radiation protection or radiation safety. The term itself has its origins in the Manhattan Engineering District (MED) days during World War II. Dr. Arthur Holly Compton and his deputy, Dr. Robert S. Stone, recognized the need for a group of individuals whose sole responsibilities were to protect the workers from the potential harmful effects of radiation while allowing the MED work to move forward as rapidly as possible.
This chapter was originally published as part of the Encyclopedia of Sustainability Science and Technology edited by Robert A. Meyers. DOI:10.1007/978-1-4419-0851-3
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Abbreviations
- Absorbed dose:
-
The amount of energy deposited by ionizing radiation per unit mass of the material. Usually expressed in the special radiologic unit the rad or in the SI unit the gray (Gy). One Gy equals 1 J/kg or 100 rad.
- Dosimeter:
-
Any device worn or carried by an individual into a radiation area to establish total exposure, absorbed dose, or equivalent dose (or the rates) in the area or to the individual worker while occupying the area.
- Dosimetry:
-
The theory and application of principles and techniques associated with the measurement of ionizing radiation.
- Epilation:
-
Loss of hair due to damage to the follicles in the skin. Temporary epilation occurs for acute exposures in the range of 300 to 500 rad with permanent epilation occurring above about 700 rad.
- Equivalent dose:
-
(Formally the dose equivalent) The product of the absorbed dose and the radiation-weighting factor (formerly the quality factor) for the type of radiation for which the absorbed dose is measured or calculated. The equivalent dose is used to express the effects of radiation-absorbed dose from many types of ionizing radiation on a common scale. The special radiologic unit is the rem or in the SI unit the sievert (Sv). One Sv is equal to 1 J/kg or 100 rem.
- Erythema:
-
Reddening of the skin due to exposure to radiation, similar to sunburn or thermal burns depending on the severity of exposure; occurs for acute exposures in the range 600–800 rad.
- Exposure:
-
A quantity defined as the charge produced in air by photons interacting in a volume of air of known mass. An old quantity that is generally no longer used. Also, a general term used to indicate any situation in which an individual is being irradiated.
- Ionization:
-
The process of removing one or more electrons from an atom or a molecule. The positively charged atom and the negatively charged electron are called an ion pair.
- Isotope:
-
One of two or more atoms with the same number of protons (same atomic number Z) but a different number of neutrons (N) in their nuclei. A radioisotope is an isotope of a chemical element that is unstable and transforms by emission of nuclear particles and electromagnetic radiation to reach a more stable state. This term is often misused because unless the materials are the same element this term should not be used (see radionuclide below).
- Nuclide:
-
A general term that indicates an atomic nucleus that is characterized by its atomic number (number of protons), number of neutrons, atomic mass, and energy state.
- Radiation:
-
Used in this section to mean ionizing radiation. That is, particles or electromagnetic radiation emitted from the nucleus with sufficient energy to cause ionization of atoms and molecules, either directly or indirectly, composing the material with which the radiation is interacting.
- Radionuclide:
-
A nuclide that is radioactive and upon decaying, emits ionizing radiation.
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Poston, J.W. (2013). Health Physics. In: Tsoulfanidis, N. (eds) Nuclear Energy. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-5716-9_17
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-5716-9_17
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