How is the energy of ionizing radiation measured?

Ionizing radiation is measured in electron volts (eV) because this unit is ideal for quantifying the energy of particles at the atomic and subatomic levels. An electron volt is defined as the amount of kinetic energy gained by a single electron when it is accelerated through an electric potential difference of one volt. Since ionizing radiation affects atoms and subatomic particles, using eV as a measurement is appropriate and practical.

In addition, eV is a convenient unit when discussing the energies of photons, electrons, and other charged particles. It allows for a clearer understanding of the energies involved in various types of ionizing radiation, which is essential in fields such as radiation safety, medical physics, and nuclear science.

The other measurement options do not appropriately capture the energy scale relevant to ionizing radiation. For instance, ergs of energy per gram are more commonly used in specific contexts, but eV provides a direct correlation to the charges involved with radiation. The electrostatic unit is not commonly utilized in modern physics discussions regarding radiation energy, while the Sievert is a unit that measures biological effect rather than the energy of the radiation itself. Thus, electron volts emerge as the standard and most relevant unit for measuring the energy of ionizing radiation.