In what unit is the activity of radioactive material commonly measured?

The activity of radioactive material is commonly measured in curies. The curie is a unit that quantifies the rate of radioactive decay or disintegration of atoms in a substance, representing a standard level of radioactivity. One curie is defined as the amount of a radioactive material that undergoes 37 billion disintegrations per second. This measurement is essential in fields like radiation safety, nuclear medicine, and radioactive waste management, as it helps quantify how much radiation is being emitted from a radioactive source and assess potential exposure risks.

In contrast, grays and sieverts are units used to measure absorbed dose and biological effect of radiation, respectively, while rems are also a unit for measuring biological effect based on radiation dose. These latter units relate to the effects of radiation on tissue rather than the activity of radioactive materials themselves.