UMB Initial Radiation Safety Training (RST)
1. Contamination surveys (wipe tests) must be recorded as follows:
Answer:
Cpm
Wipe tests must be performed but not documented
Dpm
mR/hr
2. The primary difference between gamma rays and x-rays is:
Answer:
Gamma rays are higher in energy
Gamma rays originate in the nucleus, X-rays originate in the electron shells
X-rays are used in medical applications
X-rays originate in the nucleus, gamma rays originate in the electron shells
3. 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
4. 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
5. 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
6. Which radiation is the least penetrating:
Answer:
Alpha
Beta
Gamma
X-ray
7. 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
8. Which of the following must be posted in a Radioactive Material lab:
Answer:
Notice to Employees
Radiation Emergency Procedures
Caution Radioactive Material sign
All of the above
9. The most radiosensitive mammalian organs are:
Answer:
Blood forming organs
Digestive organs
Nerve cells
Calcified bone
10. What additional precautions are taken when a person declares they are pregnant?
Answer:
Their dosimeter frequency changes from quarterly to monthly, if worker was not already badged monthly
They can no longer work in a radioactive material lab
They can only work one day a week with radioactive material
None of the above
11. A sewer disposal permit authorizes the disposal of the following via the sanitary sewer:
Answer:
Hazardous materials
Alpha emitters
Any isotope and quantity
Only the isotopes and quantities specified on the sewer permit
12. 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
13. 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%
14. What radionuclides can be placed in the same waste container?
Answer:
H-3 and C-14
H-3 and P-32
C-14 and S-35
P-32 and S-35
15. The theory that small amounts of radiation are necessary for good health is:
Answer:
A lie put out by the food irradiation industry
True only if it is alpha radiation
True only if it is x and/or gamma radiation
Radiation hormesis
16. 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
17. The primary hazard from an alpha emitter is:
Answer:
An internal exposure upon intake of the material into the body
An external exposure of the skin
An external exposure to the thyroid
None of the above
18. 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
19. Ion chambers are useful for:
Answer:
Detecting contamination on a given surface
Locating a missing gamma emitting source
Determining exposure risks from unknown sources
None of the above
20. Who is not required to wear a dosimeter?
Answer:
Anyone who works with only H-3 and/or C-14
Anyone who can possibly receive 10% of the dose limit
Anyone who works with a radiation-producing machine
All of the above
21. 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
22. How long should radioactive materials users keep dosimetry exposure reports on file?
Answer:
10 years
5 years
2 years
1 year
23. 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
24. An individual who is going to pick up a shipment of radioactive material from the Radiation Safety Office should:
Answer:
Have their assigned bar code ID
Have their photo ID
Be wearing their assigned whole body dosimeter
All of the above
25. 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
26. One of the basic methods to control radioactive contamination and to prevent internal radiation exposure is:
Answer:
Proper use of time, distance and shielding
The use of remote handling devices (such as forceps)
Monitoring and surveying of the work area
None of the above
27. 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
28. What is the LD50/60 for x or gamma ray radiation?
Answer:
Roughly 750 rad
Nearly 925 Gy
Approximately 500 rad
Almost 10 rad
29. 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
30. 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
31. The only atomic particles that can activate or make another material radioactive are:
Answer:
Alpha particles
Beta particles
Neutrons
Gammas
32. 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
33. Beta radiation is characterized by:
Answer:
Particles of nuclear origin having properties identical to an electron
Particles of nuclear origin having properties identical to a helium nucleus
High energy electromagnetic radiation of nuclear origin which is very penetrating
None of the above
34. 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
35. If not properly calibrated, a liquid scintillation counter (LSC) will usually report results in:
Answer:
Disintegrations per minute (dpm)
Counts per minute (cpm)
Millicuries (mCi)
None of the above
36. As you are transferring the stock solution containing 0.1 Curies of P-32 labeled proteins, you accidentally tip its contents onto your lab coat, shoes, and the floor. Good radiation protection practice dictates that you would:
Answer:
Inform the other people in the room that you have spilled the radioactive material
Absorb the spilled solution with paper towels, while someone in the room calls the Radiation Safety Office
Remove all contaminated clothing, placing them into plastic bags and have someone assist you in surveying the area to determine the extent of the contamination
All of the above
37. 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
38. Contamination should be measured in what units?
Answer:
Disintegrations per minute (dpm) per 100 square centimeters
Counts per minute (cpm) per 100 square centimeters
Disintegrations per minute (dpm)
Millicuries (mCi)
39. 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.
40. 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
41. 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
42. 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
43. 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
44. 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
45. An ALARA program (As Low As Reasonably Achievable) is intended to:
Answer:
Reduce the amount of radioactive material used at a single location
Reduce the level of radiation exposure that individuals receive
Reduce the quantity of radioactive waste that is generated from an experiment
None of the above
46. 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
47. 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
48. 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
49. When water (H2O) is ionized by radiation, it produces H+ + OH- . It can recombine as:
Answer:
H2
H2O
H2O2
All of the above
50. 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
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