ionising pollution

pollution 

ionising radioation

definition: consists of subtomic particles/ electromagentic waves that have sufficient energy to ionise atoms (when an atom gains an electron), energy is usually released 

ionising radiation naturally occuring, been used in wide range of appplications, it does pose threat to health + radioactive materials have resulted from past nuclear testing, nuclear waste disposal, accidents at nuclear power plants

three types of radiation with different properties 

alpha: high ionising power, low penetrating power  

beta: weak ionising power, low penetrating power  

gamma: weak ionising power, high penetrating power 

sources of radiation: 

radon gas is colourless, odourless radioactive gas, is formed by the radioactive decay of small amounts of uranium that naturally occur in rocks + soil (largest natural source) 

natural sources: background radiation all around us - comes from natural soruces, main natural source - igneous rick, granite, other natural source of radiation is from within uranium rich sedimentary rocks e.g. sandstone, when weathered uranium be released into water sources 

natrual sources: cosmic rays, rocks, soil + plants, animals 

background radiation sources: 

• radon is naturally ocuring radioactive gas that seeps out of ground + biuld up in houses 
• radon ( radon-222) comes from uranium - occurs naturally in rocks + soil 
• granite contains high level of uranium 
• decay products of radon behave more like solid material than a gas + are radioactive - gas less of problem than radioactive solid as cannot be ingested so there is less residence time 
• radon gas forms by decay of uranium within granite 

buildings/soils: earths crust contains small amount of uranium, thorium + radium, radiation dose comes from gamma rays which are emitted from rocks, soil + some building material 

food/water: small traces of naturally occuring radioactive materlas present in human body, come from food we eat + air we breathe 

medical procedures e.g. diagnostic x-rays 

cosumer products e.g. tv 

radioactive fallout - from testing nuclear weapons, nuclear accidents 

nuclear power - from power stations using uranium as fuel 

,mining of uranium + granite - releases uranium dust + alpha particels into atmosphere 

sources of radiation exposure: 

natural: cosmic rays from sun, gamma rays from lithopshere, internal sources in body, radon from ground,

human activities: medical exposure, occupational exposure, weapons fallout, consumer products, industrial effluent discharges 

cosmic radiation: large amounts of charged sub-atomic particles are released by natural processes tha occur in sun, particles reach earths atmosphere they are absorbed, releasing high energy electromagnetic radiation 

gamma rays from lithosphere: are radioactive isotopes in the lithosphere, they release different types of radiation when their atoms decay, its only gamma rays that penetrate well enough to travel from underground to reach on earths surface

internal radiation from body: activation products from upper lithosphere + radioisotopes from ground can enter body via food + water/ by being inhaled, these decay inside the body + release radiation 

radon from ground: isotopes in underground rocks decay, the radiation released us absorbed by surrounding rocks, uranium atoms decay the gaseous radionuclide, radon is produced. radon is unstable +…