Uranium and its decay products emit ionising radiation. Understanding the units, the decay chain and the way dose relates to risk makes it possible to read regulatory and scientific documents with confidence.
Use these guides together with the converter and dose estimator provided on this site.
Radiation: all pages in this section
Radiation
Radioactive Properties of Uranium and Its Decay Products
Half-lives, abundance and specific activity of U-238, U-235 and U-234, and the U-238 decay chain through radium, radon and polonium to stable lead-206.
Radiation
Uranium Toxicity: Chemical and Radiological Effects
How uranium harms the body: kidney damage from chemical toxicity, the smaller radiological risk, intake routes and the WHO and US EPA drinking-water limits.
Radiation
Radiation Dose and Risk: Basics for Non-Specialists
Plain-language guide to becquerel, gray and sievert, natural background dose, medical doses, ICRP dose limits and the linear no-threshold model debate.
Radiation
Estimating Dose from Soil and Building Materials
Estimate annual gamma dose from soil and building materials using K-40, U-238 and Th-232 activity, radium equivalent, occupancy factors and dose rates.
Radiation
Radiation Unit Converter: Bq, Ci, Sv, rem, Gy, rad
SI and legacy radiation units explained with conversion factors: becquerel and curie, gray and rad, sievert and rem, with worked examples and common pitfalls.