Radioactivity

Chapter 23
 Learning Objectives
• Understand what is background radiation
• Identify different sources of background
radiation
• Explain the health effects of exposure to
background radiation
 Background radiations
• Background radiations are the radiations that
are always present around us in the
environment.
• These radiations are all around us, but we can't
see, hear, feel, or taste it.
• Background radiations originate from a variety
of sources, both natural and artificial.
 Natural sources of radioactivity
• Air contains radioactive gas called Radon which comes
from underground rocks containing radioactive
uranium.
• Ground (sand,soil and rocks) contains radioactive
materials which we use in buildings.
• Plants absorb radioactive materials from the soil and
these pass up the food chain therefore, our food and
drinks are also radioactive.
• Atmosphere contains cosmic rays - radiation that
reaches the Earth from space
 Artificial sources of Radioactivity
• A small amount of
radioactive radiations
comes from artificial
sources, such as medical
procedures (including X-
rays and gamma rays).

• Radiation from Nuclear

Power stations
• Radioactive waste from
nuclear power stations
 Sources of
Background
radiations
in percentage