Röntgen



For Röntgen radiation see X-ray.
For other uses of röntgen or roentgen, see Roentgen (disambiguation)

The röntgen or roentgen (symbol R) is a unit of measurement for ion pairs.

In Gy ≈ 107.2 R. Continued use of this non-SI unit is "strongly discouraged" [1] by the National Institute of Standards and Technology.

Explanation

The röntgen was occasionally used to measure exposure to radiation in other forms than X-rays or gamma rays. To adjust for the different impact of different forms of radiation on biological matter, "sievert (see the latter for a list of Q values).

Background exposure in röntgens

Natural background exposure varies widely: from 17 μR/h in some regions to 1.1 mR/h in others (1.5 to 100 mSv/a [2]), with urban areas typically having higher exposure rates than rural ones. The world's extreme is reached in Ramsar, Iran, where there is at least one house receiving an average individual lifetime dose of natural radiation of 17,000 mSv (240 times more than the current ICRP limit. [3]. The world’s average individual lifetime dose due to natural background radiation is about 16 R (160 mSv; 30 μR/h if you assume an average life expectancy of 60 years) [4].

References in Popular Culture

  • In the movie Back to the Future, after Marty has arrived in 1955 and is stopped at the site of Lyon Estates, he glances at the time readout and then hears an alarm. He looks at the plutonium chamber gauge, which is measured in roentgens.
  • In the episode "Smith and Jones" on the popular television series Doctor Who, the Doctor tells Martha that he once played with röntgen blocks in the nursery.
  • In the Fallout series of computer games, the player character may obtain an alcoholic beverage named "Roentgen Rum" which irradiates the character if consumed.

See also
 
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