Radiation

Introduction

Radiation is a general term referring to any sort of energy that can travel through space either as a wave or a particle.

Everyone is exposed to background radiation from natural sources such as soil, rocks and stones. Even water and certain foods,including nuts, bananas and potatoes, contain small traces of radiation.

However, as background radiation occurs in low levels, it's very unlikely to cause health problems.

Medically Reviewed by a doctor on 4 Jan 2017

Articles for radiation

Introduction

Radiation is a general term that refers to any sort of energy that can travel through space either as a wave or a particle.

Types of radiation

There are two types of radiationthat may be associated with health risks. These are: non-ionising radiation (low energy) ionising radiation (high energy) You'll usually only be exposed to man-mad

Non-ionising radiation

Examples of non-ionising radiation include: ultraviolet radiation visible light infrared radiation microwaves radio and radar waves wireless internet connections (wifi) mobile phone signals

Measuring radiation exposure

The low levels of radiation you are exposed to during medical tests can be measured in units called millisieverts (mSv). Some examples of different levels of radiation exposure are listed below. a

There's conflicting evidence about the risks faced by people who regularly work with radiation.This includes nuclear power workers and medical professionals who use radioactive technology, such as X-r

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