What are common sources of background radiation?
Answers
Background Radiation
When you think of radiation, the first things that may to come to mind are major sources like nuclear power plants. However, there are small levels of radiation all around us, no matter where we are. This is known as background radiation, and it can come from natural and human-made sources.
Answer and Explanation:
One common source of background radiation is cosmic rays. This type of radiation comes from space and makes it through our atmosphere in small amounts. Certain rocks and parts of the Earth's surface give off background radiation, though the amount varies by location. Plants can absorb radiation from the Earth; we're exposed to this radiation after it has moved through the food chain and ends up on our plate. Background radiation from human-made sources can be found in the air around us, or in more concentrated forms in hospitals, such as those found in a computed tomography (CT) scan.