Alert

Due to a lapse in appropriations, the NRC has ceased normal operations. However, excepted and exempted activities necessary to maintain critical health and safety functions—as well as essential progress on designated critical activities, including those specified in Executive Order 14300—will continue, consistent with the OMB-Approved NRC Lapse Plan.

Quality factor

The factor by which the absorbed dose (rad or gray) is to be multiplied to obtain a quantity that expresses, on a common scale for all ionizing radiation, the biological damage (rem or sievert) to an exposed individual. It is used because some types of radiation, such as alpha particles, are more biologically damaging internally than other types.

Page Last Reviewed/Updated Tuesday, March 09, 2021