Radiation

Sciences -
RAD2310

Ms. Barbara C M'ule

BSc Radiography - UNZA
 Unit 1.0 Mathematical
Principles Applicable to
Imaging and Radiation
Therapeutic

1.1 Physical Quantities and Basic SI units

1.2 linear mathematics and geometry
1.3 Exponential and natural Logarithmic Functions
Physics study of interactions of matter and energy in
all their diverse forms.
Physicists strive for exactness or certainty in
describing these interactions.
Try to remove the uncertainties by eliminating
subjective descriptions of events.
If we assume that all measurements are correctly
made, all observers who use methods of physics will
obtain the same results.
In addition, physicist strive for simplicity; therefore,
only three measurable quantities are considered
basic
Basic Units

All measurements used in science are based on three

basic units of measurements – building blocks of all
other quantities.
Derived Units
Secondary quantities are called derived quantities because
they are derived from a combination of one or more of the
base quantities.
e.g.
volume is length cubed (l³)
mass density is mass divided by volume (m/l³)
velocity is length divided by time (l/t)
Additional quantities are designed to support measurements
in specialised areas of science and technology.
These additional quantities are called special quantities; in
radiologic science, special quantities are those of exposure,
dose, effective dose and radioactivity.
Base quantities
support derived
quantities, which in
turn support the
special quantities of
radiologic science.
Standards

Whether we are studying something large, such as

the universe, or something small such as an atom,
meaningful measurements must be reproducible.
Therefore the fundamental quantities need to be
related to a well-defined and invariable standard.
Standards normally defined by international
organisations and are usually redefined when the
progress of science requires greater precision.
Length
The standard unit of length was the distance between
two lines engraved on a platinum-iridium bar kept at
the international bureau of weights and Measures in
Paris, France.
This distance was defined to be exactly 1 m.
The English-speaking countries also base their
standards of length on the meter
1960 the need for more accuracy lead to the redefinition
of the meter in terms of the wavelength of orange light
emitted from an isotope of krypton (krypton-86)
One meter is now defined as the distance travelled by
light in 1/299 792 468 second
Mass
The kilogram was originally defined to be the mass of
1000 cm³ of water at 4 °C.
In the same vault in Paris where the standard meter
was kept, a platinum-iridium cylinder represents the
standard unit of mass – the kilogram (kg), which has
the same mass as 1000 cm³ of water.
The kilogram is the unit of mass, and the newton and
the pound a British unit are units of weight.
Time
The standard unit of time is the second (s). Originally
the second was defined in terms of the rotation of the
Earth on its axis – mean solar day.
1956, it was redefined as a certain fraction of the
tropical year 1900.
1964, the need for a better standard of time led to
another redefinition.
Now time is measured by an atomic clock and based
on the vibrations of caesium atoms.
The atomic clock is capable of keeping time correctly to
about 1 second in 5000 years.
Physical quantities and units

Physical quantities are characterised by the numerical

value (magnitude) and associated unit.
Symbols for physical quantities are set in italics type,
while symbols for units are set in roman type (Physical
quantity – pure number)
e.g. m = 21 kg; E = 15 MeV
The numerical value and the unit of a physical quantity
must be separated by a space
e.g. 21 kg and not 21kg; 15 MeV and not 15MeV
Physical quantities and units...

The currently used metric system of units is known as the Système

international d’unitès (Interntional System of Units), with the
international abbreviation SI. The system is founded on base units
for seven physical quantities:
Length l: metre (m)
Mass m: kilogram (kg)
Time t: second (s)
Electric Current I: ampere (A)
Temperature T: kelvin (K)
Amount of substance:mole (mol)
Luminous intensity:candela (cd)
All other quantities and units are derived from the seven base
quantities and units
Basic and other
physical quantities and
their units in the SI
units and units used in
radiation physics
It may be necessary to represent a
very large number in standard form.
e.g.

This may be further simplified by

using universal prefixes to:

3000 m = 3 km
Suffixes

Suffixes are used to identify a specific value of a given quantity.

For example, the activity of a radionuclide may be denoted using
the symbol A.
The activity of the radionuclide will decay over a period of time
and it may be necessary to specify the activity at a given time.
Time may be denoted using the symbol t and activity at the time
is denoted as Aₜ
A special case is the suffix ‘0’ which is usually used to indicate the
initial value of a quantity.
The initial activity of the radionuclide would therefore be A₀
The only real
wisdom is knowing
you know nothing
Socrates