• Natural Background Radiation Exposure
• Cause - Cosmic rays and naturally occurring radioactive materials contained in the earth (ie, Radon) and in living things.
• Irradiation
• Cause - Exposure to penetrating radiation.
• It occurs when all or part of the body is exposed to radiation from an unshielded source. External irradiation does not make a person
radioactive. (X-Rays Chemotherapy etc).
• Ionizing Radiation Is a form of irradiation
• High power Ionizing Radiation will penetrate your body and solid
objects making them radioactive.
radioactive. (X-Rays Chemotherapy etc).
• Irradiation
• Contamination is when material that contains radioactive atoms is deposited on skin, clothing, etc. where is it intended. .
• ** NOTE **
• Radiation does not spread
• Radiation does not get "on" or "in" people
• Radioactive contamination does spread
• A person contaminated with radioactive materials will be irradiated until the source of radiation (the radioactive
material) is removed.
• External contamination
• Radioactive material is on skin or clothing.
• Internal contamination
• Radioactive material is:
• Inhaled
• Swallowed
• Absorbed through wounds
• The environment is contaminated if radioactive material (fallout) has precipitated (fallen) in the area.