Editing Absorbed dose (section)

{{Short description|Amount of energy deposited in matter by ionizing radiation}}
{{Infobox physical quantity
| name = Absorbed dose of ionizing radiation
| image =
| caption =
| unit = [[Gray (unit)|gray]]
| otherunits = [[Rad (unit)|rad]]
| symbols = ''D''
| baseunits = [[joule|J]]⋅[[kilogram|kg]]<sup>−1</sup>
| dimension =
| derivations =
}}

'''Absorbed dose'''  is a dose quantity which represents the [[specific energy]] ([[energy]] per unit [[mass]]) deposited by [[ionizing radiation]] in [[living matter]]. Absorbed dose is used in the calculation of dose uptake in living tissue in both [[radiation protection]] (reduction of harmful effects), and [[radiology]] (potential beneficial effects, for example in cancer treatment). It is also used to directly compare the effect of radiation on inanimate matter such as in [[radiation hardening]].

The [[SI unit]] of measure is the [[Gray (unit)|gray]] (Gy), which is defined as one [[joule]] of energy absorbed per [[kilogram]] of matter.{{sfn | ICRP | 2007 | loc=glossary }} The older, non-SI [[Centimetre–gram–second system of units|CGS]] unit [[rad (unit)|rad]],  is sometimes also used, predominantly in the USA.