What is the quality factor for alpha (ray) particles?

The quality factor for alpha particles is 20 because alpha particles are significantly more biologically damaging due to their high mass and charge compared to other types of radiation. The quality factor, also referred to as the radiation weight factor, quantifies the relative biological effectiveness of different types of radiation in causing damage to living tissue.

Alpha particles, being heavy and positively charged, have a greater ability to transfer energy to the materials they interact with, leading to more substantial ionization of atoms in biological tissues. This characteristic contributes to their high quality factor, indicating that exposure to alpha radiation poses a higher biological risk compared to other forms of radiation, such as beta particles and gamma rays, which have lower quality factors.

Understanding the quality factor is crucial for radiation safety protocols, as it informs the protective measures needed when working with different types of radiation. In practical terms, this means that if a person is exposed to alpha radiation, the potential for damage is greater relative to the doses received when compared to lower quality factor radiation.