Uses of radioisotopes

(part 1)
 Objectives
• Explain what the term background
radiation means.

• Describe what background radiation is and

where it comes from.

• Explain the levels of background radiation

given off by various sources.
 Background radiation

• Background radiation released by soil, rocks and

cosmic rays is always in the environment.

• Radioisotopes are used as tracers in medicine

and industry. Carbon-14 is a radioactive isotope
of carbon, which is found in all living organisms.

• We can estimate the age of dead organisms by

measuring the amount of carbon-14 left in them.
Natural radiation
Artificial radiation
 Objectives
• Explain what the term background
radiation means.

• Describe what background radiation is and

where it comes from.

• Explain the levels of background radiation

given off by various sources.