Radioactivity Converter
Convert between becquerels, kilobecquerels, megabecquerels, gigabecquerels, curies, millicuries, microcuries, picocuries and other activity units.
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Radioactivity units
Every unit below converts to every other one in the calculator. Values are relative to the base unit, the becquerel (Bq).
| Unit | Symbol | System | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Becquerel | Bq | SI | Base unit |
| Kilobecquerel | kBq | SI | = 1000 Bq |
| Megabecquerel | MBq | SI | = 1000000 Bq |
| Gigabecquerel | GBq | SI | = 1000000000 Bq |
| Terabecquerel | TBq | SI | = 1000000000000 Bq |
| Curie | Ci | other | = 37000000000 Bq |
| Millicurie | mCi | other | = 37000000 Bq |
| Microcurie | µCi | other | = 37000 Bq |
| Picocurie | pCi | other | = 0.037 Bq |
| Rutherford | Rd | other | = 1000000 Bq |
| Disintegration per minute | dpm | other | ≈ 0.01666666667 Bq |
Becquerel quick reference
| Becquerel | Kilobecquerel | Megabecquerel | Gigabecquerel |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Bq | = 0.001 kBq | = 0.000001 MBq | = 1e-9 GBq |
| 10 Bq | = 0.01 kBq | = 0.00001 MBq | = 1e-8 GBq |
| 100 Bq | = 0.1 kBq | = 0.0001 MBq | = 1e-7 GBq |
| 1000 Bq | = 1 kBq | = 0.001 MBq | = 0.000001 GBq |
Among the 11 radioactivity units on this page, the smallest is the disintegration per minute (dpm) and the largest is the terabecquerel (TBq).
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About radioactivity units
Radioactivity, or activity, is the number of radioactive decays per second in a sample. Its SI unit is the becquerel (Bq): one decay per second. Activity says how much decay is happening, not how much dose a person receives.
The older curie (Ci) is exactly 3.7 × 10¹⁰ Bq, or 37 GBq. That makes 1 mCi = 37 MBq, 1 µCi = 37 kBq and 1 pCi = 0.037 Bq. Laboratory counts are often in disintegrations per minute: 1 Bq = 60 dpm.
Frequently asked questions
- How many becquerels are in a curie?
- Exactly 37,000,000,000 (3.7 × 10¹⁰), which is 37 GBq.
- How do I convert pCi/L to Bq/m³?
- Multiply by 37. One picocurie is 0.037 Bq and one cubic meter is 1000 liters, so 1 pCi/L = 37 Bq/m³.
- Can I convert becquerels to sieverts?
- No. Becquerels count decays per second in a source; sieverts measure the effect of radiation absorbed by the body. The link depends on the isotope, the distance, the exposure time and how the radiation enters the body.
- How many kilobecquerels are in one becquerel?
- One becquerel = 0.001 kBq (kilobecquerels).
- How many megabecquerels are in one becquerel?
- One becquerel = 0.000001 MBq (megabecquerels).
- How many gigabecquerels are in one becquerel?
- One becquerel = 1e-9 GBq (gigabecquerels).