Background level

From WikiMD's Wellnesspedia

An average or expected amount of a substance or radioactive material in a specific environment, or typical amounts of substances that occur naturally in an environment.

Van Allen radiation belt
Van Allen radiation belt

Variation[edit | edit source]

Background radiation varies from place to place and over time, depending on the amount of naturally-occurring radioactive elements in soil, water and air.

Weather[edit | edit source]

Weather conditions also affect radiation levels, as snow cover may shield these elements, and radioactive particulates can wash out of the air during rain storms.

Cosmic radiation[edit | edit source]

Cosmic radiation from the sun, our galaxy, and beyond is constantly around us and contributes to natural background radiation.

Background radiation level
Background radiation level

Altitude and latitude[edit | edit source]

Altitude and latitude can also influence the level of background radiation at any one site.

Rocks and materials[edit | edit source]

All rocks and soils contain some trace amount of natural radioactivity and can sometimes be ingested or inhaled if disturbed.

Radon[edit | edit source]

Radon is a gas that can concentrate indoors and be inhaled, along with its decay products.

Food and water[edit | edit source]

We can also ingest radioactivity from the food we eat and the water we drink.


Wikimd.png
This article is a stub.

Help WikiMD grow by registering to expand it.
Editing is available only to registered and verified users.
About WikiMD: A comprehensive, free health & wellness encyclopedia.

Wiki.png

Navigation: Wellness - Encyclopedia - Health topics - Disease Index‏‎ - Drugs - World Directory - Gray's Anatomy - Keto diet - Recipes

Search WikiMD


Ad.Tired of being Overweight? Try W8MD's physician weight loss program.
Semaglutide (Ozempic / Wegovy and Tirzepatide (Mounjaro) available.
Advertise on WikiMD

WikiMD is not a substitute for professional medical advice. See full disclaimer.

Credits:Most images are courtesy of Wikimedia commons, and templates Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY SA or similar.


Contributors: Admin, Prab R. Tumpati, MD