Chronic exposure is defined as?

• A. Continuous exposure to low doses of radiation over a long period of time.
• B. A large, single dose of radiation in a short period of time.
• C. Exposure to alpha particles only.
• D. Short total exposure with high dose rate.

Answer: (A)

Chronic exposure is about long-term, low-rate radiation exposure that accumulates over time. It means the body receives small doses repeatedly or continuously for a long period, so the total dose builds up even though each individual exposure is small.

The other ideas describe different situations: a large single dose in a short time is acute exposure, not chronic. Focusing on exposure to alpha particles alone doesn’t define duration or rate of exposure, only the type of radiation. A short total exposure with a high dose rate is also acute, because the high rate occurs over a brief period rather than across years.