GCSE Physics Unit 2 Revision (16)

Background radiation

• Background radiation comes from many sources
• The radiation we receive comes from:
• 1. radioactivity of naturally occurring unstable isotopes which are all around us - in the air, in food, in building materials, and in the rocks under our feet.
• 2. Radiation from space, which is known as cosmic rays. These mostly come from the sun.
• 3. Radiation due to human activity, e.g. fallout from nuclear explosions, or dumped nuclear waste. This represents a tiny proportion of the total background radiation.
• The level of background radiation changes depending on where you are
• At high altitudes (like in a plane) the background radiation increases because of more exposure to cosmic rays. This means that commercial pilots have an increased risk of getting some types of cancer.
• Underground in mines, e.t.c. it increases because of…