What rem range has a low probability of survival?

What rem range has a low probability of survival?

• A. 100 to 200 rems
• B. 200 to 1000 rems
• C. 0 to 50 rems
• D. 50 to 100 rems

Answer: (B)

What the question is really testing is how dose translates into risk of death from radiation. When the body is exposed to radiation, it damages rapidly dividing cells, with bone marrow and the lining of the gut being among the most vulnerable. At small doses, the body can largely cope and most people survive. As the dose increases into the mid-to-high range, the damage to blood cell production and immune defenses becomes severe, leading to acute radiation syndrome. In that range, the chances of surviving the exposure drop significantly, because bone marrow suppression leaves the body unable to fight infections or control bleeding, and organ systems can fail. So the rem range in which survival becomes unlikely is the mid-to-high dose range, where these critical systems are overwhelmed by radiation damage.

What the question is really testing is how dose translates into risk of death from radiation. When the body is exposed to radiation, it damages rapidly dividing cells, with bone marrow and the lining of the gut being among the most vulnerable. At small doses, the body can largely cope and most people survive. As the dose increases into the mid-to-high range, the damage to blood cell production and immune defenses becomes severe, leading to acute radiation syndrome. In that range, the chances of surviving the exposure drop significantly, because bone marrow suppression leaves the body unable to fight infections or control bleeding, and organ systems can fail. So the rem range in which survival becomes unlikely is the mid-to-high dose range, where these critical systems are overwhelmed by radiation damage.