Background Radiation

• Background radiation


  Radiation that is present all around us all the time
• Main sources of natural background radiation

  • Radioactive rock (e.g. granite)
  • Cosmic rays from space
  • Nuclear Explosions
• Main sources of man-made background radiation

  • Fallout from nuclear weapons testing
  • Nuclear accidents (e.g. Fukushima)
• Exposure to background radiation can be affected by location and occupation
• People living in regions with large amounts of granite (e.g. Cornwall, northern Scotland) experience greater levels of background radiation
• People working certain occupations (e.g. cabin crew, airline pilots) can experience greater levels of background radiation due to cosmic radiation
• Sievert (Sv)


  Unit used to measure radiation dose
• Millisievert (mSv)


  One thousandth of a sievert