Which statement about a 'dirty bomb' is correct?

Which statement about a 'dirty bomb' is correct?

• A. It relies on a chemical agent alone
• B. It can injure victims with only radioactive material
• C. It injures victims with both radioactive material and the explosive material used to deliver it
• D. It has no radiation risk

Answer: (C)

A dirty bomb is a radiological dispersal device that uses a conventional explosive to spread radioactive material over an area. The main hazard comes from two sources: the blast itself can cause trauma and fragmentation injuries, and the dispersed radioactive material creates radiation exposure and environmental contamination. So the statement that best fits is that victims can be injured by both the explosive and the radioactive material used to deliver it. The idea that it relies on a chemical agent alone is incorrect, since there is no chemical weapon involved. The notion of injuring with only radioactive material ignores the blast injuries, and saying there is no radiation risk is false because the dispersed material creates radiation exposure and contamination concerns.

A dirty bomb is a radiological dispersal device that uses a conventional explosive to spread radioactive material over an area. The main hazard comes from two sources: the blast itself can cause trauma and fragmentation injuries, and the dispersed radioactive material creates radiation exposure and environmental contamination. So the statement that best fits is that victims can be injured by both the explosive and the radioactive material used to deliver it. The idea that it relies on a chemical agent alone is incorrect, since there is no chemical weapon involved. The notion of injuring with only radioactive material ignores the blast injuries, and saying there is no radiation risk is false because the dispersed material creates radiation exposure and contamination concerns.