Terrestrial Radiation Terrestrial radiation refers to radiation emitted from radioactive materials in the earth's rocks, soils, and minerals. Internal Radiation Radionuclides in the environment enter the body with the air people breathe and the foods they eat. They also can enter through an open wound. In addition to background radiation, there are human-made sources of radiation to which most people are exposed. Examples include consumer products, medical sources, fallout from atmospheric atomic bomb tests, and industrial byproducts.
Some consumer products are sources of radiation.
The radiation in some of these products, such as smoke detectors and airport X-ray baggage inspection systems, is essential to the performance of the device. In other products, such as televisions and tobacco products, the radiation occurs incidentally to the product function. Medical Sources Radiation is an important tool of diagnostic medicine and treatment and is the main source of exposure to the public from human-made radiation. Exposure is deliberate and directly beneficial to the patients exposed. In general, medical exposures from diagnostic or therapeutic X rays result from beams directed to specific areas of the body.