An engineering company uses a sealed gamma source to inspect joins in thick metal components. Workers K and L wear dosimeter badges. The badges are read at the start and at the end of each three-month monitoring period.
The company moves a worker to duties involving no radiation exposure if the dose received during one monitoring period is greater than 0.50 mSv0.50\ \mathrm{mSv}0.50 mSv.
| Worker | Badge reading at start of monitoring period / mSv\mathrm{mSv}mSv | Badge reading at end of monitoring period / mSv\mathrm{mSv}mSv |
|---|---|---|
| K | 1.30 | 1.62 |
| L | 0.85 | 1.47 |
Explain which worker, if either, should be moved to duties involving no radiation exposure. Use the badge readings in your answer.
97 exam-style questions on Edexcel GCSE Physics 6.5 Uses and dangers of radioactivity, covering 6.5.1 Uses of radioactivity, 6.5.2 Dangers of ionising radiation and precautions, 6.5.3 Half-life and radiation dangers, 6.5.4 Safety precautions for radiation exposure, and 6.5.5 Contamination and irradiation. Each one has a worked solution and a mark scheme showing where the marks go.