NRRPT Cheat Sheet 2026

The 30 highest-yield NRRPT facts, distilled from real exam questions. Print it, save it as a PDF, or study it here — free, no sign-up.

1. During decontamination of a wound with embedded radioactive foreign material, what is the recommended initial action? → Irrigate the wound copiously with sterile saline
2. The nuclide Am-241 is commonly used in smoke detectors because it emits: → Alpha particles that ionize air in an ionization chamber
3. Which of the following engineering controls is MOST effective at preventing airborne contamination during radiological decontamination work? → Using local exhaust ventilation (LEV) or a glove box to capture contaminants at the source
4. The annual occupational dose limit for the skin and extremities under 10 CFR Part 20 is: → 50 rem (500 mSv)
5. A licensee's bioassay program detects tritium (H-3) in a worker's urine at 40,000 dpm/mL. The first required action is to: → Estimate the intake and calculate the committed effective dose equivalent
6. Which regulatory framework governs the disposal of uranium mill tailings in the United States? → 10 CFR Part 40 Appendix A and the Uranium Mill Tailings Radiation Control Act (UMTRCA)
7. What is the NRC's requirement for 'declared pregnant workers' in terms of fetal dose monitoring? → A separate deep-dose badge worn at the abdomen is required to estimate fetal dose
8. How long should radiation exposure records be retained? → Lifetime of employment + 30 years
9. In neutron activation analysis, what process produces radioactive isotopes from stable elements? → Radiative neutron capture (n,γ)
10. What does a DAC-hour represent in radiation protection practice? → The product of airborne concentration in DAC units and the time in hours of exposure
11. Which interaction dominates for low-energy photons (<100 keV) in high-Z materials? → Photoelectric effect
12. How can internal contamination be prevented? → Use respiratory protection and gloves
13. Which of the following best describes the inverse square law as applied to radiation protection? → Radiation intensity decreases with the square of the distance from the source
14. Under 10 CFR 20, what is the occupational whole-body dose limit per year for a radiation worker? → 5 rem (0.05 Sv)
15. What is the primary interaction mechanism of alpha particles with matter? → Coulombic interactions with orbital electrons
16. What is the significance of the ICRP publication 66 Human Respiratory Tract Model for internal dosimetry? → It describes particle deposition and clearance in each respiratory region
17. What is required before using any new medical equipment? → Acceptance testing
18. What is the NRC annual dose limit for members of the public from licensed operations? → 100 mrem
19. Under Joint Commission standards, when a healthcare facility identifies a radiation safety near-miss event, what is the expected organizational response? → Conduct a proactive risk assessment and implement corrective actions to prevent recurrence
20. Why is detection of radiation important? → Prevent overexposure
21. The ALARA principle as applied to radioactive material control requires that exposures be reduced: → To levels as low as reasonably achievable considering economic and social factors
22. Which ventilation design principle is most effective at preventing the spread of radioactive contamination from a hot cell to adjacent areas? → Maintaining the hot cell at negative pressure relative to the corridor
23. Which surface material is generally the most difficult to effectively decontaminate of radioactive contamination? → Unpainted concrete or porous masonry
24. A radionuclide decays by beta-minus emission. Which statement about the emitted beta particle energy spectrum is correct? → It is a continuous spectrum with a maximum energy (Emax)
25. Under 10 CFR Part 20, what is the required minimum frequency for calibrating survey instruments used in healthcare radiation safety programs? → Annually
26. Under 10 CFR Part 61, which LLW class has the most stringent disposal requirements and longest required isolation period? → Class C
27. Which of the following best describes the concept of 'confinement' in radioactive material control? → Physically containing material to prevent its spread into the environment
28. Which document establishes the ALARA program requirements and dose optimization philosophy under 10 CFR 20? → 10 CFR 20.1101
29. In which energy range is Compton scattering the dominant interaction mechanism for photons in soft tissue? → 100 keV to 10 MeV
30. Under the NRC's 10 CFR 20 access control requirements, who must be informed of their dose and dose limits? → All radiation workers at the start of their employment or upon entering a restricted area