UMB Initial Radiation Safety Training (RST)
1. The annual extremity dose limit for radiation workers in the Maryland regulations is:
Answer:
5 rem
7.5 rem
12 rem
50 rem
2. Which organization issues the license for radioactive materials use to the University of Maryland Baltimore?
Answer:
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission
The Maryland Department of the Environment
The Radiation Safety Committee
None of the above
3. The only atomic particles that can activate or make another material radioactive are:
Answer:
Alpha particles
Beta particles
Neutrons
Gammas
4. What is the best way to prevent internal exposure?
Answer:
Do not eat, drink or smoke in the laboratory
Use a fume hood when working with volatile I-25
Ensure you wear protective clothing when working with radioactive material
All of the above
5. 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
6. Radioactive material must be secured against unauthorized access or removal:
Answer:
Only when an authorized person is handling the material
Any time the material is in storage, or not under the direct control of an authorized person
When the level of radioactivity is less than 1 mCi
None of the above
7. 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
8. 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
9. It is appropriate to:
Answer:
Place liquid radioactive waste in the dry waste boxes
Pour liquid radioactive waste down the drain regardless of the chemical composition
Label all liquid scintillation vial containers with the name of the scintillation cocktail
Place lead shielding and syringes into the dry waste boxes
10. A radioactive source is measured at 32 mrem/hr at one meter. What would the exposure rate be at 10 cm:
Answer:
0.32 mrem/hr
3.2 mrem/hr
320 mrem/hr
3200 mrem/hr
11. 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
12. 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
13. 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
14. What type of shielding is required for a low beta energy isotope like H-3?
Answer:
1 cm of plexiglas
0.02 mm of lead
5 cm of concrete
None of the above
15. Two foot cubic boxes should only be used for:
Answer:
Liquid waste
Dry solid waste
Both a. and b.
None of the above
16. 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
17. The purpose of the radiation dosimeter e.g., film badge, is to:
Answer:
To provide a temporary record of the dose of ionizing radiation received
To protect the individual from ionizing radiation
To provide a permanent record of individual exposure to ionizing radiation
None of the above
18. The least radiosensitive mammalian cells are:
Answer:
Nerve cells
Germ cells
White blood cells
Endothelial cells
19. When first using a radiation detection instrument, you should:
Answer:
Familiarize yourself with the instruments operation
Check the detector response to radiation using a known source of radiation
Perform a battery check and check instrument calibration
All of the above
20. How long should radioactive materials users keep dosimetry exposure reports on file?
Answer:
10 years
5 years
2 years
1 year
21. 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
22. A contamination survey (quantitative) must be performed:
Answer:
During each month radioactive material is present (in use or storage) in the lab
After every use of 1 mCi or more of P-32
Following a spill
All of the above
23. Dose Equivalent (DE), Effective Dose Equivalent (EDE), Committed Dose Equivalent (CDE), Committed Effective Dose Equivalent (CEDE), and Total Effective Dose Equivalent (TEDE) are expressed in units of:
Answer:
Grays (Gy) and Sieverts (Sv)
Roentgen or ergs
Rads and coulombs
Sieverts (Sv) or REM
24. The Caution - Radioactive Material label on each waste container should be used to annotate only the total activity of each nuclide and final assay date of the radioactive waste in the container. What should be used to keep a running total?
Answer:
Anything you can write on
Radioactive Waste Disposal Log Sheet
Nothing because you don’t need to keep a running total
Caution Radioactive Material label
25. 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
26. 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
27. 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
28. Where should you store your dosimeter?
Answer:
On the window ledge away from radiation
In an area free of excessive heat, and moisture
Inside the radioactive material lab on the workbench
None of the above
29. Monitoring for radioactive contamination while handling radioactive material during an experiment:
Answer:
Need only be done at the end of the experiment
Must be fully documented each time there is a negative result found
Should be done frequently to determine if contamination is present
All of the above
30. Photons (e.g., gamma and x-rays) can interact directly with matter by:
Answer:
The photoelectric effect
Compton scattering
Pair production
All of the above
31. If you have a source of radiation which emits ONLY high energy beta radiation e.g. P-32, what is the most appropriate shielding material to use:
Answer:
A container of iron or lead
A container of Plexiglas
A container of thin leaded glass
A container of lead inside a container of Plexiglas
32. 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
33. Nitrogen-16 contains how many protons and neutrons in its nucleus?
Answer:
9 protons and 7 neutrons
8 protons and 8 neutrons
7 protons and 9 neutrons
6 protons and 10 neutrons
34. What should you always do with used radioactive needles?
Answer:
Recap the needle
Dispose of the needle in a radioactive waste box
Dispose of the needle in a radioactive sharps container
None of the above
35. 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
36. 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
37. 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
38. Contamination surveys (wipe tests) must be recorded as follows:
Answer:
Cpm
Wipe tests must be performed but not documented
Dpm
mR/hr
39. The energy of a particular beta particle is most likely to be:
Answer:
The maximum beta energy for the nuclide
Approximately 1/2 of the maximum beta energy for the nuclide
Approximately 1/3 of the maximum beta energy for the nuclide
Approximately 1/10 of the maximum beta energy for the nuclide
40. A charged particle (beta or alpha) can interact directly with matter by:
Answer:
Ionization and excitation
Compton scattering
Pair production
The photoelectric effect
41. Items that have been labeled with a Caution - Radioactive Material sign can be disposed of as normal trash when:
Answer:
They have been surveyed and found to be free of contamination
The label has been defaced or removed
Both a. and b.
None of the above.
42. 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
43. 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
44. The annual whole body dose limit for a member of the public at large is:
Answer:
0.1 rem
0.3 rem
5.0 rem
50 rem.
45. 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
46. 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
47. 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
48. 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
49. 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
50. 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.
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