Multiple-Choice Questions (MCQs)
Question 1
What is the main difference between ionizing and non-ionizing radiation?
A) Non-ionizing radiation causes ionization
B) Ionizing radiation does not affect atoms
C) Ionizing radiation has enough energy to remove electrons from atoms
D) Non-ionizing radiation is used only in medicine ✅ Answer: C
Explanation: Ionizing radiation has enough energy to break electrons away
from atoms, causing ionization.
Question 2
Which of the following is a natural source of ionizing radiation?
A) CT scan
B) Radon gas
C) Food irradiation
D) Medical X-rays ✅ Answer: B Explanation: Radon gas is naturally
produced from the decay of uranium in soil and rocks.
Question 3
Which type of ionizing radiation is not part of the electromagnetic spectrum?
A) Ultraviolet rays
B) Alpha particles
C) Gamma rays
D) X-rays ✅ Answer: B Explanation: Alpha particles are charged
particles, not electromagnetic waves.
Question 4
What is the primary biological effect of ionizing radiation on living tissue
A) Stimulates cell growth
B) Enhances immunity
C) Damages DNA and may cause cancer
D) Increases energy production ✅ Answer: C Explanation: Ionizing
radiation can damage DNA, leading to cell death or mutation.
Question 5
Which of the following is an artificial (man-made) source of ionizing radiation?
A) Cosmic rays
B) Radon gas
C) Radiography for metal inspection
D) Potassium-40 in the body ✅ Answer: C Explanation: Industrial
radiography is a man-made application of ionizing radiation.
Question 6
Which of the following is a charged particle and considered ionizing radiation?
A) Gamma ray
B) X-ray
C) Alpha particle
D) Ultraviolet ray ✅ Answer: C Explanation: Alpha particles are
energetic charged particles and are not part of the electromagnetic spectrum.
Question 7
Which source of ionizing radiation is stronger at high altitudes and near the
poles?
A) Terrestrial radiation
B) Radon gas
C) Cosmic radiation
D) Internal radiation ✅ Answer: C Explanation: Cosmic radiation comes
from space and is more intense at high altitudes and near the poles.
Question 8
Which radioactive isotope is naturally found in bananas and soil?
A) Americium-241
B) Potassium-40
C) Carbon-14
D) Radium ✅ Answer: B Explanation: Potassium-40 is a naturally
occurring isotope found in food like bananas and in soil.
Question 9
Which of the following is a consumer product that contains small amounts of
radioactive material?
A) CT scanner
B) Smoke detector
C) MRI machine
D) Ultrasound probe ✅ Answer: B Explanation: Smoke detectors often
contain americium-241, a radioactive isotope.
Question 10
What is a common occupational source of ionizing radiation exposure?
A) Farming
B) Teaching
C) Radiology work
D) Plumbing ✅ Answer: C Explanation: Radiology professionals are
regularly exposed to ionizing radiation in medical settings.
Question 11
Which of the following best describes gamma rays and X-rays?
A) Charged particles with mass
B) Electromagnetic waves with low energy
C) Energy bundles with no mass and high energy
D) Particles found in the Earth's crust ✅ Answer: C Explanation: Gamma
rays and X-rays are high-energy electromagnetic waves with no mass.
Question 12
Which of the following is a radioactive gas that can accumulate in buildings?
A) Carbon dioxide
B) Radon
C) Oxygen
D) Helium ✅ Answer: B Explanation: Radon is a radioactive gas
produced by the decay of uranium in soil and rocks.
Question 13
Which of the following is NOT a natural source of ionizing radiation?
A) Cosmic rays
B) Potassium-40 in food
C) Radiotherapy
D) Radon gas ✅ Answer: C Explanation: Radiotherapy is a man-made
medical application of ionizing radiation.
Question 14
What is the main source of artificial ionizing radiation exposure for most people?
A) Nuclear power plants
B) Medical imaging
C) Consumer products
D) Industrial radiography ✅ Answer: B Explanation: Medical uses such
as X-rays and CT scans are the largest source of artificial exposure for the
general public.
Question 15
Which of the following isotopes is used in smoke detectors?
A) Uranium-238
B) Potassium-40
C) Americium-241
D) Thorium-232 ✅ Answer: C Explanation: Americium-241 is a
radioactive isotope commonly used in smoke detectors.
Multiple-Choice Questions (MCQs) – Lecture 2
Question 1
What is the SI unit for measuring radioactivity?
A) Gray (Gy)
B) Sievert (Sv)
C) Becquerel (Bq)
D) Roentgen (R) ✅ Answer: C Explanation: Becquerel (Bq) measures
radioactivity and represents one disintegration per second.
Question 2
What is the difference between absorbed dose and equivalent dose?
A) Absorbed dose measures biological effect
B) Equivalent dose accounts for radiation type
C) Equivalent dose measures energy only
D) There is no difference ✅ Answer: B Explanation: Equivalent dose
adjusts the absorbed dose based on radiation type to reflect biological impact.
Question 3
Which unit is used to measure radiation exposure in air?
A) Gray (Gy)
B) Sievert (Sv)
C) Coulomb per kilogram (C/kg)
D) Becquerel (Bq) ✅ Answer: C Explanation: Exposure is measured in
C/kg, indicating the ionizing ability of radiation in air.
Question 4
What is the radiation weighting factor (Wr) for alpha particles?
A) 1
B) 5
C) 10
D) 20 ✅ Answer: D Explanation: Alpha particles have a weighting factor of 20
due to their high biological damage.
Question 5
What is the difference between Kerma and absorbed dose?
A) Kerma measures only absorbed energy
B) Absorbed dose measures transferred energy
C) Kerma measures energy transferred to electrons
D) There is no difference ✅ Answer: C Explanation: Kerma measures the
initial energy transferred from radiation to charged particles like electrons.
Question 6
Which unit measures the absorbed dose of radiation in the SI system?
A) Roentgen (R)
B) Gray (Gy)
C) Sievert (Sv)
D) Curie (Ci) ✅ Answer: B Explanation: The Gray (Gy) is the SI unit for
absorbed dose, representing 1 joule per kilogram.
Question 7
What does the unit Sievert (Sv) measure?
A) Energy transferred to electrons
B) Rate of radioactive decay
C) Biological effect of radiation
D) Electric charge in air ✅ Answer: C Explanation: The Sievert measures
the biological effect of radiation, accounting for radiation type.
Question 8
Which of the following is true about Kerma?
A) It measures absorbed dose only
B) It equals the equivalent dose
C) It represents energy transferred to charged particles
D) It is used to measure radioactivity ✅ Answer: C Explanation: Kerma
measures the initial energy transferred from radiation to charged particles like
electrons.
Question 9
Which of the following has the highest radiation weighting factor (Wr)?
A) Beta particles
B) Gamma rays
C) Alpha particles
D) Protons ✅ Answer: C Explanation: Alpha particles have a Wr of 20,
indicating their high biological damage potential.
Question 10
What does the effective dose take into account?
A) Only the absorbed dose
B) Only the type of radiation
C) Radiation type and tissue sensitivity
D) The number of radioactive atoms ✅ Answer: C Explanation: Effective
dose considers both the radiation type and the sensitivity of different tissues.
Question 11
Which unit represents the biological risk of radiation exposure to the whole body?
A) Gray (Gy)
B) Becquerel (Bq)
C) Sievert (Sv)
D) Roentgen (R) ✅ Answer: C Explanation: The Sievert (Sv) is used to
measure effective dose, which reflects whole-body biological risk.
Question 12
What does the Curie (Ci) unit measure?
A) Absorbed dose
B) Rate of radioactive decay
C) Biological effect
D) Ionization in air ✅ Answer: B Explanation: Curie measures
radioactivity, representing 3.7 × 10¹⁰ disintegrations per second.
Question 13
Which formula is used to calculate equivalent dose?
A) E = HT × WT
B) H = D × Wr
C) D = H × Wr
D) H = Wr / D ✅ Answer: B Explanation: Equivalent dose (H) =
Absorbed dose (D) × Radiation weighting factor (Wr).
Question 14
Which type of radiation has a weighting factor (Wr) of 1?
A) Alpha particles
B) Neutrons
C) X-rays
D) Protons ✅ Answer: C Explanation: X-rays, gamma rays, and beta
particles have a Wr of 1.
Question 15
What does the effective dose formula account for?
A) Only the absorbed dose
B) Only the radiation type
C) Radiation type and tissue sensitivity
D) Only the exposure time ✅ Answer: C Explanation: Effective dose =
Σ(HT × WT), combining equivalent dose and tissue weighting factors.