UMB Initial Radiation Safety Training (RST)
1. Beta decay is the process of:
Answer:
The nuclear transformation of a proton into a neutron
The nuclear transformation of an electron into a proton
The atomic transformation of an electron into a beta particle
The nuclear transformation of a neutron into a proton
2. The millicurie is a:
Answer:
Unit of radioactivity that equals 1 disintegration per second
Unit of radioactivity that equals 2.22E6 disintegrations per minute
Unit of radioactivity that equals 1 disintegration per minute
Unit of radioactivity that equals 2.22E9 disintegrations per minute
3. Before discarding the isotope-shipping box into regular trash, an individual should:
Answer:
Remove all radiation labels
Obliterate the words Caution, Radioactive Materials from the box
Both a. and b.
No extra precautions are needed; the box can be disposed of as is
4. A strand break in the DNA, resulting from the initial ionizing event in the molecule, is an example of what kind of biological effect:
Answer:
Unidirectional
Direct
Indirect
None of the above
5. Low energy beta emitters, such as H-3 or C-14, are best detected during a survey for removable contamination by using:
Answer:
A GM thin-window detector
A sodium iodide (NaI) detector
A liquid scintillation counter (LSC)
None of the above
6. Which of the following radionuclides has 15 protons and 18 neutrons in the nucleus of it's atoms?
Answer:
Phosphorous-32
Phosphorous-33
Silicon-32
Sulphur-35
7. The first steps in ordering radioactive material are to:
Answer:
Call vendor and order product
Ensure that isotope is listed on authorization and that possession limits are not exceeded
Obtain a control number from the Radiation Safety Office
Both b. and c.
8. Contamination surveys (wipe tests) must be recorded as follows:
Answer:
Cpm
Wipe tests must be performed but not documented
Dpm
mR/hr
9. If you pass a beam of x-rays through 3 half value layers (HVLs) of a material, what will be the resulting beam intensity?
Answer:
97%
33.30%
12.50%
3%
10. All radioactive waste containers should be labeled with:
Answer:
The isotope and activity
The chemical composition of liquids if the waste container is for liquid radioactive or scintillation vial waste
The date that the isotope and activity were assayed
All of the above
11. The half-life of a radioactive element is:
Answer:
The length of time it takes to decay to background levels
A unit of radioactivity that equals 2.22E6 disintegrations per minute
The length of time it takes for one-half of the atoms to decay
None of the above
12. When you want to have a dry radioactive waste box removed from your laboratory, you should:
Answer:
Tape and close your container
Completely fill out the radioactive waste removal request form
Make sure the total activity, nuclide, assay date, and chemical identification is filled out on the Caution - Radioactive Material label
All of the above
13. You are involved in an accident that results in a 300 REM (3 Sv) exposure in a very short period of time. With in the next 60 days you can expect to experience the following:
Answer:
Cataracts
Leukemia
Skin burns
All of the above
14. A scintillation detector operates by:
Answer:
Converting ionizing radiation to UV photons
Collecting the charge created by ionizations in the wall of the probe
Collecting the charge created by ionization in the gas contained in the probe
All of the above
15. When estimating the activity of radioactive waste you should:
Answer:
Estimate the activity as close as possible to the actual activity of the waste in the container, while still assuring that you did not underestimate
Estimate the activity way below the actual activity
Give every container 100uCi activity
None of the above
16. A wipe sample of your radioactive work area measures 100 cps (counts per sec) above background on your portable GM survey meter. If the efficiency of the detector for the nuclide of interest is 5%, how much activity (in dpm) is really present?
Answer:
200 dpm
20000 dpm
1200 dpm
120000 dpm
17. If you exceeded one of the ALARA Levels, which level would require you to send a response to the Radiation Safety Office?
Answer:
Level I
Level II
All of the above
None of the above
18. Radioactive waste should:
Answer:
Be disposed in the regular trash
Be segregated by isotope and waste form
Be placed in the corridors when the containers are full
Not be labeled with an activity until the container is full
19. Detection efficiency is calculated by:
Answer:
Dividing the number of microcuries by the decay constant (0.693/T)
Dividing the number of counts by the number of actual disintegrations
Dividing the atomic weight of an atom by its Z number
None of the above
20. The Roentgen is:
Answer:
The unit of dose equivalent that is equal to the dose in rad times the quality factor
A unit of exposure to x or gamma radiation based on the ionizations that these radiations produce in air
A unit of absorbed dose for any ionizing radiation that is equal to 100 ergs of absorbed energy per gram of substance
None of the above
21. The Radiation Safety Office must be contacted in the following situations:
Answer:
Prior to ordering radioactive material from a vendor
Prior to transferring radioactive material to another authorized user and/or receiving radioactive material from an authorized user
Prior to any changes involving authorization (i.e. rooms used, protocols)
All of the above
22. Which of the following are true statements:
Answer:
The only isotopes that can be commingled into the same waste container without approval from EHS are C-14 and H-3
Animals injected with radioactive materials are not regulated for their radioactive properties
All scintillation cocktails are non-hazardous
Once the original source vials are emptied of the radioactive materials they can be disposed in the regular trash
23. All of the following should be worn to prevent absorption of radioactive material through the skin except?
Answer:
A lab coat
Protective eye wear
Sandal with no socks
Gloves
24. What do you need to do to become a declared pregnant worker?
Answer:
You just need to be a registered radiation worker
You need to declare in writing to the RSO that you are pregnant
Tell you supervisor and have him/her notify the RSO
All of the above
25. The calibration date of the survey meter can be located on:
Answer:
The calibration sticker present on the meter
The calibration certificate that accompanies the meter upon calibration
None of the above
Both a. and b.
26. The primary sources of background radiation are exposure from:
Answer:
Cosmic, terrestrial and medical sources
Consumer electronic products and irradiated foods
Radioactive material in other persons bodies
Nuclear power generation
27. When should dosimeters be returned to the Radiation Safety Office?
Answer:
Before the end of the year
The next time you have to go to the Radiation Safety office
The first day of the next wear period
Within 15 days after receiving your new dosimeters
28. The radioactive waste log sheet needs to be filled out:
Answer:
Only after the container is full and going to be disposed of
As soon as the first radioactive material goes into the container and every addition of radioactive waste thereafter
Never needs to be filled out
All the above
29. The annual whole body radiation dose limit for radiation workers in Maryland regulations is:
Answer:
0.5 rem
3 rem
5 rem
None of the above
30. The radioactive waste plastic jar containers should never:
Answer:
Be picked up by the lid only
Left in UV-light from a bio-safety cabinet
Both a. and b.
None of the above
31. A radioactive atom is one that has:
Answer:
Excess orbital electrons and therefore, an overall negative charge
Excess number of electrons in the nucleus
An equal number of neutrons and protons in the nucleus with no excess energy
None of the above
32. When do you need to take precautions for possible external exposure?
Answer:
When working with a low energy beta emitter like C-14
When working with a gamma emitter like Cr-51
When working with a high energy beta emitter like P-32
Both b. and c.
33. What is the LD50/60 for x or gamma ray radiation?
Answer:
Roughly 750 rad
Nearly 925 Gy
Approximately 500 rad
Almost 10 rad
34. A strand break in the DNA, resulting from the chemical reaction of free radicals attacking a DNA sugar, is an example of what kind of radiation induced biological effect:
Answer:
Unidirectional
Direct
Indirect
None of the above
35. A sewer disposal log must be maintained:
Answer:
Only upon disposing of material in the sink
Never needs to be filled out
On a monthly basis regardless of use
None of the above
36. Occupational exposure to radiation is limited to 5 REM for the whole body and 50 REM for the extremities. Upon diagnosis of a brain tumor, your doctor recommends the use of the gamma knife for treatment. Your medical treatment will be limited to:
Answer:
50.0 REM because the head is an extremity
5.0 REM because the head is part of the whole body
No limit because it is a medical procedure
100 REM because it is a medical procedure
37. The Rem is:
Answer:
The unit of dose equivalent that is equal to the dose in rad times the quality factor
A unit of exposure to x or gamma radiation based on the ionizations that these radiations produce in air
A unit of absorbed dose for any ionizing radiation that is equal to 100 ergs of absorbed energy per gram of substance
None of the above
38. What is the average annual background exposure to a non-smoking individual living in the United States:
Answer:
125.0 millirem
0.125 rem
125.0 curies
360.0 mrem
39. How long can you work in a 200 mR/hr radiation field and limit your exposure to 50 mR:
Answer:
15 minutes
4 hours
30 minutes
None of the above
40. A bioassay is a measurement used to determine:
Answer:
The extent of damage caused by exposure to an unknown source of radiation
The presence of radioactive material in the body
The current physical conditioning of the body
The length of time it will take for the body to repair damage caused by exposure to ionizing radiation
41. Isotopes are:
Answer:
Atoms with a unique arrangement of protons and neutrons
Atoms with the same number of protons and neutrons
Atoms with differing numbers of protons and neutrons
Atoms with the same number of protons, but differing numbers of neutrons
42. When should a urine analysis be performed?
Answer:
When you have worked with volatile I-125
When you work with a large amount of Tritium
When you are involved in a major spill or accident
Both b. and c.
43. The most radiosensitive mammalian organs are:
Answer:
Blood forming organs
Digestive organs
Nerve cells
Calcified bone
44. The inverse square rule can be used to:
Answer:
Determine the level of exposure at a given distance from a point source
Determine the level of radioactivity (mCi) in a point source
Determine the decay rate of a specific isotope
None of the above
45. When water (H2O) is ionized by radiation, it produces H+ + OH- . It can recombine as:
Answer:
H2
H2O
H2O2
All of the above
46. Radioactive materials Receipt/Use/Disposal forms issued by the Radiation Safety Office with every radioisotope delivered to the authorized user should be:
Answer:
Filled out each time material is withdrawn from the stock vial
Stored in the laboratory's radiation safety records
Returned to the Radiation Safety Office when the isotope is expended, transferred and/or disposed of as waste
All of the above
47. The Becquerel is a:
Answer:
Unit of radioactivity that equals 1 disintegration per second
Unit of radioactivity that equals 2.22E6 disintegrations per minute
Unit of radioactivity that equals 1 disintegration per minute
Unit of radioactivity that equals 2.22E9 disintegrations per minute
48. It is acceptable to wear another persons dosimeter when:
Answer:
They work in the same area and handle the same radioactive material
They are on vacation and will not need their dosimeter
You should never wear another person’s dosimeter
None of the above
49. When exposed to ionizing radiation, there is a chance that an ionizing event may occur in an atom(s). This event may affect the molecules, cells, tissues, organs and the whole body. There will be some effects from this exposure. This statement is true:
Answer:
Whether the dose is small or large
Only when the dose is large
When the dose is only from x or gamma rays
Only when the dose is from high energy betas
50. A G-M detector operates by:
Answer:
Converting ionizing radiation to UV photons
Collecting the charge created by ionizations in the wall of the probe
Collecting the charge created by ionization in the gas contained in the probe
All of the above
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