On Mon, 10 Nov 2008, Steve Holdoway wrote:
On Mon, 10 Nov 2008 09:09:12 +1300 (NZDT)
[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
Hi I'm working on a C program and having a bit of an issue, I've set a
char as status and I've got to have status outputting either "unsafe" or
"safe" in the status column depending on if the number outputted is either
above 0.466 or below.
Well, that depends on whether you accept the Linear No Threshold
model, or have caved in to the nuclear industries hormesis theory.
Under the LNT model, there is no "safe" limit, merely "Acceptable risk".
Personally the LNT model makes sound physics sense to me.
Ionizing radiation doesn't suddenly become non-ionizing at a low dose,
the energy of each particle emitted is exactly the same no matter what
the dose is. That is plain hard indisputable quantum physics
fact. The_only_ difference is the average _number_ of a particles will
that will be emitted.
The model of cancer formation is a DNA strand is not reliably
repairable if it suffers double breakage at the same point. So low
dose == low probability of cancer, but never zero.
ie. There is no "safe" dosage, only "acceptable risk".
while (RadLevel >= (0.466 / 10)) // Sets end loop parameters
Style guide...
Declare magic constants like 0.466 at the head of the program
const float acceptableRadLevel = 0.466;
keep one fact in one place.
Hint: The 'R' statistical package freely available on most linux
distros is truly excellent for this class of work. Does the
calculations, statistical analysis, graphing and reporting.
Disclaimer: I once worked for several ears doing this type of
calculation and became very disenchanted with the mining / nuclear
industries very pushy "what ever we are doing is OK because we say it
is OK stop looking at us or you'll hurt the economy" attitude.
John Carter Phone : (64)(3) 358 6639
Tait Electronics Fax : (64)(3) 359 4632
PO Box 1645 Christchurch Email : [EMAIL PROTECTED]
New Zealand
