Which device is commonly used to locate a radiation source and is not used for personal dosimetry?

Which device is commonly used to locate a radiation source and is not used for personal dosimetry?

• A. OSL
• B. Geiger-Mueller detector
• C. TLD
• D. Film badge

Answer: (B)

Locating a radiation source relies on instruments that respond quickly to detect the presence of radiation and guide you to the source. A Geiger-Mueller detector fits this role well because it gives rapid, obvious signals as you move around an area, helping you map out where radiation is coming from and how strong it is. It’s designed for survey work and source localization, not for measuring how much radiation a person has received over time. Personal dosimeters, on the other hand, are meant to record an individual’s accumulated dose over a period. Devices like OSL, TLD, and film badges are worn by workers and later read to determine the total dose received. They provide a dose history rather than an immediate indication of where radiation is located. Because of that time-accumulation function and the need for technology that faithfully translates exposure into a dose value, those are the typical choices for personal dosimetry. So, the Geiger-Mueller detector is the instrument used to locate a radiation source, while the others are used for recording a person’s dose.

Locating a radiation source relies on instruments that respond quickly to detect the presence of radiation and guide you to the source. A Geiger-Mueller detector fits this role well because it gives rapid, obvious signals as you move around an area, helping you map out where radiation is coming from and how strong it is. It’s designed for survey work and source localization, not for measuring how much radiation a person has received over time.

Personal dosimeters, on the other hand, are meant to record an individual’s accumulated dose over a period. Devices like OSL, TLD, and film badges are worn by workers and later read to determine the total dose received. They provide a dose history rather than an immediate indication of where radiation is located. Because of that time-accumulation function and the need for technology that faithfully translates exposure into a dose value, those are the typical choices for personal dosimetry.

So, the Geiger-Mueller detector is the instrument used to locate a radiation source, while the others are used for recording a person’s dose.