Sievert

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Sievert (symbol: Sv) is a derived unit of ionizing radiation dose in the International System of Units (SI) and is a measure of the health effect of low levels of ionizing radiation on the human body. The sievert is of fundamental importance in dosimetry and radiation protection, and is named after Rolf Maximilian Sievert, a Swedish medical physicist renowned for work on radiation dosage measurement and research into the biological effects of radiation.

Definition[edit]

Quantities that are measured in sieverts are intended to represent the stochastic health risk, which for radiation dose assessment is defined as the probability of cancer induction and genetic damage. One sievert carries with it a 5.5% chance of eventually developing cancer based on the linear no-threshold model (LNT).

Usage[edit]

The sievert is used for radiation dose quantities such as equivalent dose, effective dose, and committed dose. It is used to quantify the risk of radiation-induced health effects from low levels of ionizing radiation to the human body, which is not to be confused with the physical quantity absorbed dose measured by the unit gray.

Derivatives[edit]

Special names are given to derived units of the sievert, which are typically used in the measurement of dose equivalent. These include the millisievert (mSv), which is one thousandth of a sievert, and the microsievert (μSv), which is one millionth of a sievert.

See also[edit]

References[edit]


Radiation (physics and health)
Main articles
Radiation
and health
Radiation incidents
Related articles
See also: the categories Radiation effects, Radioactivity, Radiobiology, and Radiation protection


SI units
Base units
Derived units
with special names
Other accepted units
See also


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