What does an exposure time of several hours near a radiation source increase?

An exposure time of several hours near a radiation source significantly increases the cumulative dose and risk of radiation effects on an individual. The cumulative dose refers to the total amount of radiation that an individual absorbs over time. The longer the exposure duration, the higher the dose, which can lead to various health impacts depending on the level and type of radiation.

Increased exposure raises the likelihood of adverse effects such as radiation sickness, cellular damage, and an elevated risk of developing cancer over the long term. This is because ionizing radiation has the potential to damage DNA and other critical cellular components, increasing the probability of mutations and other harmful biological effects.

In contrast, options suggesting that increased exposure only heightens the chance of acute symptoms, promotes radiation immunity, or leads to cumulative benefits are misleading. Acute symptoms are typically associated with very high doses over a short period, while radiation immunity does not develop from increased exposure, as radiation is harmful regardless of dosage. Similarly, exposure leading to benefits is not a recognized outcome in radiation safety practices, which primarily focus on minimizing exposure and protecting against harmful effects.