If you are standing 1 foot from a radiation source and double your distance to 2 feet, your radiation dose will decrease to:

The correct answer is based on the inverse square law, which states that the intensity of radiation is inversely proportional to the square of the distance from the source. This principle means that if you double the distance from a radiation source, the radiation exposure reduces to one-fourth of the original dose.

To understand this, consider that when you double the distance from 1 foot to 2 feet, the distance has increased by a factor of 2. According to the inverse square relationship, the intensity of radiation diminishes as the square of the distance changes. Thus, doubling the distance results in:

• The original dose at 1 foot being reduced to 1/(2^2), which equals 1/4 of the original dose when you move to 2 feet.

This understanding illustrates how increasing the distance from a radiation source can significantly reduce exposure, thereby underscoring the importance of maintaining safe distances in environments where radiation is present.