What is equivalent dose based on?

Equivalent dose is a measure used to assess the biological effect of radiation on human tissue, taking into consideration the type of radiation absorbed. It is calculated by multiplying the absorbed dose (measured in grays) by a radiation weighting factor, which accounts for the differing biological impacts that various types of radiation can have.

Certain forms of radiation, like alpha particles, have a higher weighting factor because they can cause more damage to living tissue compared to other forms, such as gamma rays, despite potentially delivering the same amount of energy. This method helps standardize the effects of different types of radiation, allowing for better assessments of risk and protection measures in radiation exposure scenarios.

The other options do not accurately reflect the definition of equivalent dose. For instance, dividing the absorbed dose by tissue type does not account for the varying biological effects among different types of radiation. Similarly, adding time to the absorbed dose does not contribute to the assessment of biological effects, nor does dividing the absorbed dose by radiation type reflect the necessary weighting that determines equivalent dose.