Background Radiation
Physics: Cambridge International GCSE Supplement, topic 5.2.4
Background Radiation
Background radiation is the low-level radiation that is always present in the environment, coming from natural sources and artificial sources.
Rocks
- Rocks like granite contain small amounts of uranium salts.
- Over time, the uranium decays, releasing other radioactive nuclei.
Food
- Fruits high in potassium, like bananas, are very slightly radioactive.
Radon
- Radon is a gas that emits alpha particles.
- If we breathe in alpha particles, alpha radiation will reach our lung tissue.
Cosmic rays
- Cosmic rays are high-energy particles from outer space that enter the Earth’s atmosphere and contribute to background radiation.
- They come from the Sun and from other distant stars.
Test yourself on Background Radiation
What is the radioactive component in rocks?
Which of the following are true of background radiation?