Table shows the average extra radiation dose received each year in the UK from three activities. The average yearly background radiation dose in the UK is 2.7 mSv.
Table: The average extra radiation dose received each year in the UK from three different activities
| Activity | Extra dose each year in mSv |
|---|---|
| Living within 5 km of a nuclear power station | 0.0002 |
| Flying for 20 hours in a passenger aircraft | 0.1000 |
| Having one chest X-ray each year | 0.0200 |
Give the activity in Table 1 that produces the largest extra dose.
Calculate how many times larger the extra dose from flying is than the extra dose from living within 5 km of a nuclear power station.
Many people think that living close to a nuclear power station is the most dangerous of the three activities in Table 1. Use the data to explain why this belief is not supported by the evidence.
40 exam-style questions on AQA GCSE Physics 4.3 Hazards and uses of radioactive emissions and of background radiation, covering 4.3.1 Background radiation, 4.3.2 Different half-lives of radioactive isotopes, and 4.3.3 Uses of nuclear radiation. Each one has a worked solution and a mark scheme showing where the marks go.