Final answer:
Ionizing radiation doses and associated risks are directly proportional, with the unit rad describing the dose and the unit rem providing adjustment for types of radiation and biological tissue impacts.
Step-by-step explanation:
The relationship between ionizing radiation doses and the associated risks can be understood as being directly proportional. This means that as the dose of radiation increases, the biological effect and the risk of damage also increase correspondingly. However, it's essential to recognize that the specific impact also depends on the type of radiation (whether alpha particles, beta particles, gamma rays, X-rays, etc.) and the type of biological tissue it interacts with.
The unit used to measure ionizing radiation dose is the rad, which is defined as 1/100 of a joule of ionizing energy deposited per kilogram of tissue (1 rad = 0.01 J/kg). To account for different types of radiation and their biological effectiveness, a unit called the roentgen equivalent man (rem) is used, which factors in a relative biological effectiveness (RBE). The rem is calculated as the dose in rads multiplied by the RBE, making it a more accurate representation of the biological effects of different types of radiation.