Which term is used to describe the exposure of large populations to ionizing radiation?

The term "person-rem" is used to quantify the exposure of large populations to ionizing radiation. This unit of measurement considers both the dose of radiation received and the number of individuals exposed, thereby allowing public health officials and radiation safety professionals to assess the potential health effects of radiation exposure on populations.

Person-rem helps in calculating the collective dose received by a group, which is critical in environmental health and radiation protection. This term enables the aggregation of individual doses to provide a clearer picture of the overall risk and impact, which is essential for regulatory purposes and in evaluating the safety of various practices involving ionizing radiation.

In contrast, the other terms listed (gamma-rem, radiation-rem, quantum-rem) do not refer to established units for measuring population exposure to ionizing radiation. Gamma radiation refers specifically to a type of electromagnetic radiation, while the other terms lack relevance within the context of radiation dosimetry for large groups. Consequently, they are not used in determining population exposure levels.