GCSE Physics (AQA)

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Background Radiation & Count Rate

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Atomic structure Hazards and uses of radioactive emissions and of background radiation

Background Radiation & Count Rate

2:54 Background Radiation
Spec 4.4.2.1 4.4.3.1
Previous Man-Made Background Radiation Next Radiation Dose
  • A Geiger Mueller tube detects ionizing radiation and can click even without a radioactive source due to background radiation.
  • Background radiation is always present due to natural sources like radioactive isotopes in rocks and manmade sources like hospital radiation.
  • To measure the count rate accurately, the background radiation count rate must be subtracted from the measured count rate.
  • Corrected count rate = Measured count rate - Background count rate.
  • Example: A student measures a background count rate of 5 counts/sec and a measured count rate of 58 counts/sec with radium. Corrected count rate = 58 - 5 = 53 counts/sec.
  • Students often forget to account for background radiation in calculations, especially in exam questions involving half-life predictions.

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