rem
Units & Measurements abbreviation · Engineering Unit
| Stands for | Roentgen equivalent man |
|---|---|
| Categories | Units & Measurements |
rem stands for Roentgen equivalent man, an engineering unit abbreviation.
An older US unit of radiation dose equivalent, equal to 0.01 sievert. American regulations for radiation workers still use it: the Nuclear Regulatory Commission limits occupational whole-body dose to 5 rem per year.
Example: Badge readings show 120 mrem for the quarter, well below the annual limit.
Usage notes
Doses are commonly expressed in millirem (mrem); the average American receives roughly 600 mrem (6 mSv) a year from all sources. The name reflects an attempt to express the biological effect in humans of exposure measured in roentgens. Most countries now use the sievert.
Related abbreviations
More engineering unit abbreviations
- PS – Pferdestärke (metric horsepower)
- psi – Pounds per square inch
- psia – Pounds per square inch absolute
- psig – Pounds per square inch gauge
- R – Degree Rankine
- rad – Rad (radiation absorbed dose)
- RPM – Revolutions per minute
- SEER – Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio
- thm – Therm
- toe – Tonne of oil equivalent
- TPI – Threads per inch
- TR – Ton of refrigeration