Radiation Protection Principles Flashcards
7 cards from real CHP practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Radiation Protection Principles flashcards as text
When establishing a radiological controlled area boundary, the primary criterion under 10 CFR 20 is:
Answer: Areas where dose rates could cause an individual to receive more than 5 mrem in any one hour
A controlled area (formerly 'restricted area') under 10 CFR 20.1003 is where an individual could receive more than 5 mrem in any one hour or 100 mrem in any 5 consecutive days.
Which of the following best describes the concept of 'justification' in the ICRP system of radiological protection?
Answer: A practice involving radiation should do more good than harm to society
ICRP's justification principle states that no practice involving radiation exposure should be adopted unless it produces sufficient benefit to the exposed individuals or society to offset the radiation detriment.
The quality factor (Q) for thermal neutrons used in dose equivalent calculations is approximately:
Answer: 20
ICRP and NRC assign a radiation weighting factor (wR) of 20 to neutrons of uncertain or intermediate energy, reflecting their high biological effectiveness.
A pregnant radiation worker must be informed of her embryo/fetus dose limit of:
Answer: 0.5 rem for the entire gestation period
Once a pregnancy is declared, 10 CFR 20.1208 limits the dose to the embryo/fetus to 0.5 rem (5 mSv) over the entire gestation period.
Which instrument is best suited for measuring low-level beta contamination on personnel or surfaces?
Answer: Geiger-Müller (GM) pancake probe detector
A GM pancake detector has a thin, large-area window that efficiently detects beta particles, making it ideal for contamination surveys.
Radioactive waste classified as low-level radioactive waste (LLRW) is primarily defined by:
Answer: What it is not — not high-level, transuranic, or spent fuel
Under the Low-Level Radioactive Waste Policy Act, LLRW is defined by exclusion as radioactive material that is not high-level waste, transuranic waste, spent nuclear fuel, or uranium/thorium mill tailings.
The as low as reasonably achievable (ALARA) principle requires that radiation doses be reduced below regulatory limits when:
Answer: Dose reductions can be achieved taking into account economic and social factors
ALARA requires pursuing dose reduction measures that are reasonable considering economic costs, social factors, and the magnitude of individual and collective dose benefits.