A pocket ionization chamber is used for which purpose?

• A. Personal dosimetry
• B. Equipment calibrations
• C. Gamma spectroscopy
• D. Contamination evaluations

Answer: (A)

Pocket ionization chambers are small, portable detectors that provide a direct readout of the radiation dose a person has received. They work by collecting ions produced in a gas when exposed to ionizing radiation, and the amount of charge collected is proportional to the dose. Because they’re compact and give a quick dose indication, they’re ideal for personal dosimetry—allowing workers to monitor their own exposure in real time or near real time. They aren’t intended for calibrating equipment, since calibration requires reference instruments in a controlled lab; they aren’t used for gamma spectroscopy, which needs detectors capable of resolving energy spectra; and they aren’t used for contamination evaluations, which rely on surface contamination tests and dedicated contamination meters.