Radiation Sources in Our Community-Teacher
Answer Key
NOTE: Responses are not limited to those listed below.
Sources of Radiation
Location(s)
Ultraviolet (UV) light
Outdoors, hospitals, tanning
salons and certain jobs (e.g.,
welding or research)
Sun, medical uses and certain
jobs: Both
Tanning beds: Non-ionizing
Security scanners
Airports, courthouses and
other buildings
Ionizing
Computed
tomography (CT)
scanners
Hospitals, clinics,
medical/digital imaging
diagnostic labs, and some
veterinary offices
Ionizing
Cosmic radiation
Airplanes and outdoors
Ionizing
Electric and magnetic
fields (EMF) from
power lines
Near power lines and in all
buildings with electrical devices
and electrical outlets
Non-ionizing
Antique clocks and
watches that glow in
the dark
Homes, antique stores and
flea markets
Ionizing
Radon
Outdoors and in some buildings;
radon may also be encountered
through drinking water and soil
Ionizing
Tritium exit signs
Many commercial and public
buildings, as well as landfills
Ionizing
Ionizing smoke
detectors
Many homes, schools and
commercial and public
buildings
Ionizing. Ionizing smoke detectors
use a small amount of radioactive
material to detect smoke.
Photoelectric smoke detectors
use a light source.
Radioactive waste
from abandoned
uranium mines
Water, buildings, soil and the air
may be contaminated by
radioactive waste
Ionizing
Wireless technology
Many homes, commercial and
public buildings
Non-ionizing
Nuclear moisture and
density gauges
Construction sites
Ionizing
Cigarettes/radiation in
tobacco
Homes or designated
smoking areas
Ionizing; naturally-occurring
radioactive minerals accumulate
on tobacco leaves
GCDA Environmental Protection RadTown Radiation Exposure Activity Set	EPA 402-B-19-044
Agency	https://www.EPA.gov/RadTown/Activity-l-Tvpes-Radiation

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