The annual effective dose per person from natural background radiation is approximately which value?

The annual effective dose per person from natural background radiation is approximately which value?

• A. 1.0 mSv
• B. 3.0 mSv
• C. 50 mSv
• D. 9.0 mSv

Answer: (B)

Natural background radiation is the small, ongoing dose you receive each year from three sources: cosmic rays from space, gamma radiation from rocks and soil on the ground, and radioactive materials already present inside the body. When you add these together, the typical annual effective dose is about 3 mSv. This value is a standard reference because global averages hover around 2–3 mSv, though the exact amount can vary by location, altitude, and home radon levels. So the best match among common estimates is 3.0 mSv, since other figures like 1.0 mSv are lower than the usual range, while 9.0 mSv or 50 mSv are well above what people normally receive from natural sources.

Natural background radiation is the small, ongoing dose you receive each year from three sources: cosmic rays from space, gamma radiation from rocks and soil on the ground, and radioactive materials already present inside the body. When you add these together, the typical annual effective dose is about 3 mSv. This value is a standard reference because global averages hover around 2–3 mSv, though the exact amount can vary by location, altitude, and home radon levels.

So the best match among common estimates is 3.0 mSv, since other figures like 1.0 mSv are lower than the usual range, while 9.0 mSv or 50 mSv are well above what people normally receive from natural sources.