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o
logical Effects of Radiation
Common terms used in discussing
the
biological effects of ionizing radiation: (the links
are information at the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission website.)
What is a curie?
(here) (
https://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/basic-ref/glossary/curie-ci.html
)
What is a rad?
(here) (
https://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/basic-ref/glossary/rad-radiation-absorbed-dose.html
) What do the letters stand for?
What is a rem?
(here) (
https://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/basic-ref/glossary/rem-roentgen-equivalent-man.html
) What do the letters stand for?
o
For
beta (
https://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/basic-ref/glossary/beta-particle.html
) and
Gamma radiation (
https://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/basic-ref/glossary/gamma-radiation.html
) , the dose equivalent is the same as
the
absorbed dose. (
https://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/basic-ref/glossary/dose-absorbed.html
)
True or false?
o
By contrast, the dose equivalent is larger than the absorbed dose
For alpha (
https://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/basic-ref/glossary/alpha-particle.html
) and
neutron radiation (
https://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/basic-ref/glossary/neutron-source.html
) ,
because these types of radiation are more damaging to the human body.
True or false?
o
To calculate the potential biological damage in rems, the radiation
absorbed dose is multiplied by a quality factor. The quality factor takes
into account that some radiation, such as alpha radiation, is potentially
more damaging than beta radiation.
(here) (
https://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/basic-ref/glossary/quality-factor.html
)
True or false?
The hazardous effect of a radioactive element depends (at least partly) on where the
elements go in our body.
Where is strontium-90 likely to be found in our bodies?
What types of
cancer is it associated with?
o
The half-life of strontium-90 is 28.9 years. But the “biological half-life”
may be much less, perhaps tens to hundreds of days. What does the term
biological half-life?
o
Why did children born in the 1950s and 60s have relatively high levels of
strontium-90 in their teeth? What was this attributed to?
Why is radon associated with lung cancer?
o
Why does radon accumulate in buildings?
o
“
ASTM E-2121 is a US standard for reducing air-born radon in homes as
far as practicable below the action level of 4
picocuries per liter (pCi/L)
(148 Bq/m3). Some states recommend achieving 2.0 pCi/L or less.”
Why is testing for radon important? Describe one or two of the methods
used to reduce the levels of radon that can enter a dwelling.
Read the United States Environmental Protection Agency article on
Radiation Health Effects .(
https://www.epa.gov/radiation/radiation-health-effects
)
1. In the section on Radiation Exposure and Cancer Risk,
calculate your exposure to radiation. (
https://www.epa.gov/radiation/calculate-your-radiation-dose
)
2. Use the “Radiation Thermometer” to answer the following questions:
a. What dose of radiation, measured in rems, is absorbed when you get a full set of dental
X-rays? From a chest X-ray? From a CT scan?
b. What dose of radiation, measured in rems, would cause damage to red blood cells?
3. Read the section on Exposure Pathways.
4. Read the section on
radiation basics. (
https://www.epa.gov/radiation/radiation-basics
)
Then answer the following questions:
a.Alpha particles lack the energy to penetrate even the outer layer of skin, so exposure to
the outside of the body is not a major concern.
True or false?
b. Inside the body, however, they can be very harmful. If alpha-emitters are inhaled,
swallowed, or get into the body through a cut, the alpha particles can damage sensitive
living tissue.
True or false?
c.Beta particles are more penetrating than alpha particles, but are less damaging to living
tissue and DNA because the ionizations they produce are more widely spaced. They
travel farther in air than alpha particles, but can be stopped by a layer of clothing or by a
thin layer of a substance such as aluminum.
True or false?
d. X-rays and gamma rays have the same basic properties but come from different parts of
the atom. X-rays are emitted from processes outside the nucleus, but gamma rays
originate inside the nucleus. They also are generally lower in energy and, therefore less
penetrating than gamma rays.
True or false?
5. Children and fetuses are especially sensitive to radiation exposure. The cells in children and
fetuses divide rapidly, providing more opportunity for radiation to disrupt the process and cause
cell damage.
True or false?
United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission: Information on Nuclear Reactors
Visit each page and answer the questions.
Power Reactors (
https://www.nrc.gov/reactors/power.html
)
How many total licensed to operate nuclear power plants are currently in the United States?
How many are pressurized water reactors? How many are boiling water reactors?
Follow the link to the pressurized water reactors.
Pressurized Water Reactors: (
https://www.nrc.gov/reactors/pwrs.html
)
There are four regions numbered in the figure of the “typical pressurized water reactor.” What are they?
Which part of the pressurized water reactor generates the heat needed to drive the turbine?
What’s the purpose of the primary coolant loop?
Steam forms in the secondary coolant loop.
True
or false?
What are the containment walls made of? How thick are the containment walls?
Follow the link to the animated diagram.
An Animated Diagram of a Pressurized Water Reactor:
(
https://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/basic-ref/students/animated-pwr.html
)
There are three loops shown in the diagram. How many of them are “closed loops?” Which
ones?
What is the purpose of each loop?
Where does the water on the right side of the diagram come from and go to?
Follow the link under POPULAR DOCUMENTS to FACT SHEETS AND BROCHURES. Then, under
Nuclear Materials and Waste, follow the link to “Storage of Spent Nuclear Fuel.”
Storage of Spent Nuclear Fuel:
(
https://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/fact-sheets/storage-spent-fuel.html
)
Uranium fuel pellets can be stacked into fuel rods. A group of fuel rods is a fuel assembly.
True
or false?
Spent nuclear fuel refers to the bundles of uranium pellets encased in metal rods that have been
used to power a nuclear reactor.
True or false?
Spent is a hazard because it produces substantial radiation and heat.
True or false?
What is “pool storage?”
What is “dry cask storage?”
