Estimate the banana equivalent dose (BED) incurred dose by eating a typical banana, in millisieverts (mSv).

Estimate the banana equivalent dose (BED) incurred dose by eating a typical banana, in millisieverts (mSv).

• A. 0.00001 mSv
• B. 0.0001 mSv
• C. 0.001 mSv
• D. 0.01 mSv

Answer: (B)

Banana equivalent dose is a playful way to compare tiny radiation exposures using something familiar. Bananas contain potassium-40, a natural radioactive isotope, so eating one gives a very small internal dose. The commonly cited value is about 0.1 microSieverts per banana. Converting to millisieverts: 0.1 μSv equals 0.0001 mSv (since 1 μSv = 0.001 mSv). So the best estimate is 0.0001 mSv. For context, this is much smaller than typical medical X-rays (around 0.1 mSv) and far less than annual background radiation (a few mSv per year), so a single banana contributes an extremely tiny amount of radiation exposure.

Banana equivalent dose is a playful way to compare tiny radiation exposures using something familiar. Bananas contain potassium-40, a natural radioactive isotope, so eating one gives a very small internal dose. The commonly cited value is about 0.1 microSieverts per banana. Converting to millisieverts: 0.1 μSv equals 0.0001 mSv (since 1 μSv = 0.001 mSv). So the best estimate is 0.0001 mSv. For context, this is much smaller than typical medical X-rays (around 0.1 mSv) and far less than annual background radiation (a few mSv per year), so a single banana contributes an extremely tiny amount of radiation exposure.