Radiation Exposure

Convert between different units of radiation exposure used in radiology, radiation monitoring, and dosimetry

Radiation Exposure Converter

Convert between different units of radiation exposure used in radiology, radiation monitoring, and dosimetry

From

Value inCoulomb per kilogram

Conversion Result

1C/kg

Coulomb per kilogram

0mC/kg

Millicoulomb per kilogram

Fun Facts

Roentgen Unit Origin

The roentgen was named after Wilhelm Röntgen, who discovered X-rays and promptly won the first Nobel Prize in Physics. His greatest achievement was creating a unit that absolutely no one can spell correctly on the first try.

About Radiation Exposure

Explore radiation exposure units from radiology, radiation monitoring, and dosimetry

Historical Context

Radiation exposure measurement began with the discovery of X-rays by Wilhelm Röntgen in 1895. The roentgen (R) unit, named after him, was defined in 1928 to quantify X-ray and gamma ray exposure based on their ability to ionize air. It was the first standardized unit for measuring radiation and remained the primary unit until the development of the International System of Units (SI). As understanding of radiation effects advanced, scientists recognized the need for units that more directly related to biological effects, leading to the development of absorbed dose (rad/gray) and equivalent dose (rem/sievert) units. The coulomb per kilogram (C/kg) was introduced as the SI unit for exposure in the 1970s, defined as the amount of radiation that produces one coulomb of charge per kilogram of air.

Modern Standards

Today, the coulomb per kilogram (C/kg) is the standard SI unit for radiation exposure, representing the amount of radiation required to create one coulomb of electrical charge in one kilogram of air. While the scientific community has adopted this unit, the roentgen (R) remains in use in some contexts, particularly in the United States for certain radiation monitoring applications. The relationship between these units is fixed: 1 R = 2.58 × 10^-4 C/kg. Modern radiation protection practices focus more on absorbed dose (gray) and equivalent dose (sievert) than on exposure, as these relate more directly to biological effects. However, exposure measurements remain important for calibrating radiation detection instruments and for certain environmental monitoring applications.

Did you know?

Select a unit to see interesting facts about it.

Conversion Reference

Quick reference for common radiation exposure conversions

Radiation Exposure