If someone is exposed to ionizing radiation, what is the accurate statement about their radioactivity?

When an individual is exposed to ionizing radiation, the accurate statement regarding their radioactivity is that they are not radioactive. Exposure to ionizing radiation, such as X-rays or gamma rays, does not cause a person to become radioactive. Radioactivity refers to the property of certain materials (usually unstable isotopes) to emit radiation from their atomic nuclei. The human body does not acquire radioactive properties simply from exposure to radiation; instead, it absorbs the energy or particle radiation that may lead to biological effects such as cellular damage or an increased risk of cancer.

Radioactive materials, in contrast, are those that spontaneously release radiation due to their unstable atomic structure. Thus, a person exposed to ionizing radiation will not emit radiation themselves, nor will they become a source of radioactivity. Understanding this distinction is crucial in contexts such as medical imaging or radiation therapy, where patients might receive ionizing radiation but are not radioactive afterward.