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social science subjects > health and social care > health sciences > background radiation
... > social science subjects > psychology > behavior mechanisms > human development > health and well-being > ionizing radiation > background radiation
... > social science subjects > health and social care > health and society > cancer and society > known or suspected carcinogens > ionizing radiation > background radiation
... > social science subjects > health and social care > health and society > cancer and society > radiation > ionizing radiation > background radiation
... > contexts > population characteristics > health > public health > epidemiology > health risks and health behaviors > radiation > ionizing radiation > background radiation
... > other subjects > natural sciences > physical sciences > physics > physical phenomena > radiation > ionizing radiation > background radiation
... > other subjects > natural sciences > physical sciences > physics > physics of energy phenomena > radiation > ionizing radiation > background radiation

Preferred term

background radiation  

Definition

  • Radiation is simply energy released in the form of electromagnetic waves or particles. With reference to health, radiation generally refers to high-energy forms of radiation that have the potential to cause death of the cell or mutations in the DNA. Radiation has always been present everywhere on earth; indeed, radiation accounts for part of the baseline mutation rate in nature and so contributed to the evolution of life as we know it. [Source: Encyclopedia of Global Health; Background Radiation]

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https://concepts.sagepub.com/social-science/concept/background_radiation

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