Final answer:
The actual exposure an individual receives may be significantly higher than what is recorded by a personnel monitoring device, due to limitations in the sensitivity and calibration of such devices.
Step-by-step explanation:
The actual exposure an individual receives may be many times over the amount recorded by a personnel monitoring device. This is because personal dosimeters, like film badges or more sensitive crystal-based systems, are designed to measure and record levels of radiation exposure. However, these monitoring devices may not measure all types of radiation equally, or may not be sensitive to very low levels of radiation. Therefore, if the dosimeter is not sensitive enough or if it's shielded from certain kinds of radiation, the actual exposure could be underestimated. Moreover, in epidemiology, a calculated value that is more than one implies an increased risk, indicating that individuals exposed could be several times more likely to experience a health event related to the exposure compared to non-exposed individuals.
Considering a person's whole-body radiation dose, if a 50.0-kg person is exposed to ionizing radiation and absorbs 1.00 J, this will represent their specific dose. However, if a monitoring device is not capturing all of the radiation or is improperly calibrated, the actual exposure and recorded value may significantly differ.