Background radiation

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Description

Background radiation refers to the radiation which is constantly present in our environment to which we are exposed throughout our lives.  Fortunately, for most of us, it has little to no effect whatsoever on our health.  This video outlines the main sources of background radiation before going on to explain how it can be important to take background radiation into account in performing measurements of the count rate from a radioactive source.

Key Words

radon gas, cosmic rays, X-rays, ground and buildings, medical, food and drink, nuclear power, nuclear weapons, nuclear accidents, background radiation