If a colony of 50,000 cells is exposed to the same dose that killed 50,000 cells in a colony of 100,000, how many cells will likely die?

Prepare for the Medical Dosimetry Certification Test with comprehensive flashcards and multiple choice questions, complete with hints and explanations. Ensure your success by studying key topics covered in the exam!

The scenario describes a relationship between the number of cells exposed to a specific radiation dose and the resulting cell death. When a dose of radiation effectively eliminates a certain percentage of cells in a population, the same dose applied to a different population of cells should yield a proportional outcome based on the initial number of cells.

In the given context, if the dose kills 50,000 cells in a colony of 100,000, this indicates that the dose has a lethal effect determined by a specific survival fraction. If we apply the same radiation dose to a colony of 50,000 cells, we can expect the same proportion of cells to be affected.

Given that the first colony loses 50% of its cells based on the information that the dose kills 50,000 cells out of 100,000, applying this percentage to the second colony of 50,000 would result in 50% death. Thus, 50% of 50,000 cells equals 25,000 cells.

In this case, the correct answer reflects the understanding that radiation lethality operates on a percentage basis relative to the population size exposed, rather than a fixed number. Therefore, the outcome of 25,000 cells dying aligns with this proportional reasoning.

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