what is the definition of background radiation
background radiation definition. Low-level radiation at the surface of the Earth that comes from cosmic rays and from small amounts of radioactive materials in rocks and the atmosphere. Discover our greatest slideshows.
Wiktionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition: background radiation(Noun) ionizing radiation that is naturally present in the environment. Freebase(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition: Background radiation is the ubiquitous ionizing radiation that people on the planet Earth are exposed to, including natural and artificial sources. Both natural and artificial background radiation varies by location.
Background radiation. The natural radiation that is always present in the environment. It includes cosmic radiation which comes from the sun and stars, terrestrial radiation which comes from the Earth, and internal radiation which exists in all living things. The typical average individual exposure in the United States from natural background sources is about 300 millirems per year.