Becquerel Bq
About the Becquerel
The becquerel is an activity of one radioactive decay per second, named after Henri Becquerel, who discovered radioactivity in 1896. It replaced the curie, which is exactly 3.7 × 10¹⁰ Bq. Because one becquerel is tiny, food contamination limits are often quoted in becquerels per kilogram.
Related Units
Gray
Gy1 Gy = 1 J/kg = 1 m²·s⁻²
The gray measures absorbed dose of ionising radiation, one joule of energy deposited per kilogram of matter. It is...
Sievert
Sv1 Sv = 1 J/kg = 1 m²·s⁻²
The sievert measures the biological effect of radiation, weighting the absorbed dose by radiation type and tissue...
Curie
Ci3.7 × 10¹⁰ Bq (exact)
The curie, exactly 3.7 × 10¹⁰ decays per second, was based on the activity of one gram of radium-226. It is named after...
Roentgen
R2.58 × 10⁻⁴ C/kg (exact)
The roentgen measures exposure to X-rays and gamma rays by the ionisation they produce in air, exactly 2.58 × 10⁻⁴...