What unit of measure is used for alpha and beta surveys?

The choice of counts per minute as the correct answer is based on its specific application in the context of alpha and beta surveys. Alpha and beta radiation detection typically depends on the measurement of the number of ionizations produced by these particles as they interact with a detector. This interaction is quantified as a count, which represents the particles detected within a given time frame. Counts per minute is therefore a direct measurement of this activity, making it essential for assessing the presence of alpha and beta radiation in hazardous materials environments.

Other measurement units mentioned do not directly correspond to the procedure for surveying alpha and beta particles. Millisieverts per hour and sieverts per hour are units that measure absorbed dose of radiation, not the rate of detection. Similarly, the radioactivity index is not a standard measurement for reporting the counts from alpha and beta surveys, as it typically requires conversion or interpretation of multiple other data points. Thus, counts per minute is the most relevant and direct measure for these surveys.