What is contamination in the context of nuclear power?

• A. A measurement unit for radiation dose.
• B. When radioactive material gets outside its intended location, leading to uncontrolled radiation release.
• C. Radiation that everyone receives from natural and manmade sources.
• D. A type of shielding.

Answer: (B)

Contamination means radioactive material is outside its proper place—on surfaces, equipment, or people—and can spread to other areas, potentially causing uncontrolled radiation release. It’s about the unwanted presence and transfer of radioactive material, not about a dose measurement or the amount of radiation already present from natural or manmade sources. In a plant, contamination can be removable through cleaning or fixed on surfaces, and it’s something that monitoring and decontamination aim to control to prevent exposure and spread.