The Gigabecquerel (GBq) in Radioactivity

What is Gigabecquerel (GBq)

The Gigabecquerel (GBq) is a unit of radioactivity in the International System of Units (SI). It quantifies the amount of radioactive decay occurring in a sample. Specifically, one GBq means that a source undergoes one billion decay events per second. The unit is named after Henri Becquerel, who discovered radioactivity.

Radioactivity measures how unstable atomic nuclei release energy in the form of radiation, which can be in the form of alpha particles, beta particles, or gamma rays. Understanding GBq is important in various fields, including nuclear medicine, radiological engineering, and environmental science, where it helps quantify radiation sources and ensure safety standards.

Common conversion values

To better understand GBq in the context of other units of radioactivity, here are some common conversion values:

• 1 (GBq) = 10^9 (Bq): The Becquerel (Bq) is the most basic unit of radioactivity and indicates one decay per second. Thus, 1 GBq is equivalent to one billion decays per second.

• 1 (GBq) = 10^3 (MBq): The Megabecquerel (MBq) is another commonly used unit, which indicates one million decays per second. Therefore, 1 GBq equals 1000 MBq.

• 1 (GBq) = 10^6 (kBq): The Kilobecquerel (kBq) is equal to one thousand decays per second. Hence, 1 GBq is equivalent to 1,000,000 kBq.

• 1 (GBq) = 0.02702703 (Ci): The Curie (Ci) is an older unit that measures radioactivity based on the decay rate of radium-226. 1 GBq is approximately 0.027 Ci.

• 1 (GBq) = 27.02703 (mCi): The millicurie (mCi) is a subunit of the Curie. Therefore, 1 GBq equals about 27.03 mCi.

• 1 (GBq) = 27027.03 (µCi): The microcurie (µCi) is another subunit of the Curie, indicating one-millionth of a Ci. Thus, 1 GBq translates to about 27,027.03 µCi.

• 1 (GBq) = 10^3 (Rd): The Rad is a unit that measures absorbed radiation dose. So, 1 GBq is equal to 1000 Rd.

• 1 (GBq) = 10^9 (dps): The decays per second (dps) metric directly correlates with Bq. Therefore, 1 GBq is equivalent to one billion dps.

The ability to convert GBq to other units helps professionals in nuclear science, medicine, and safety assess and manage radiation exposure accurately.