How Do You Calculate Background Radiation From Rocks?
Radiation is present in many items you encounter every day. This is called background radiation, and it varies based on your location, your profession, your history with X-rays and a number of other factors. Cosmic rays shower the entire planet with more natural radiation than mankind produces. As time continues, there is less and less natural radiation since radioactive isotopes continually decay. Knowing the half-life of various radioactive isotopes allows scientists to calculate radiation doses in rocks and soil. Bring a sample of the rock to a laboratory or an area shielded with lead walls, if possible. Measure the radiation level in the laboratory or lead-enclosed room 10 times, and average the results. Turn on the Geiger counter and place it as close to the rock sample as possible. Write down the reading in the units of uCi. Turn the rock on all sides and get 10 measurements per side. Average out the measurements. Subtract the average ambient background reading from the average r
