Radiological Worker Training
Overview
Positive charge -ANSWER✅✅✅More protons than electrons
Negative charge -ANSWER✅✅✅More electrons than protons
No charge (neutral) -ANSWER✅✅✅# Electrons = # Protons
Ionization -ANSWER✅✅✅The process of removing electrons from electrically neutral
atoms.
Ionizing radiation -ANSWER✅✅✅Energy emitted from radioactive atoms and some
devices that can cause ionization.
Radioactive material -ANSWER✅✅✅Material that contains unstable radioactive
atoms.
Radioactive contamination -ANSWER✅✅✅Radioactive material in an unwanted place.
Radiation -ANSWER✅✅✅Energy emitted from unstable atoms.
Contamination -ANSWER✅✅✅Radioactive material in an unwanted place.
Air borne contamination -ANSWER✅✅✅Radioactive material suspended in air.
Fixed contamination -ANSWER✅✅✅It cannot be readily removed from surfaces and
may be released when the surface is disturbed.
Removable/transferable contamination -ANSWER✅✅✅It can be readily removed from
surfaces and may be transferred by casual contact or wiping.
Radioactivity -ANSWER✅✅✅The process of unstable (or radioactive) atoms trying to
become stable by emitting radiation.
Radioactive half-life -ANSWER✅✅✅The time it takes for one half of the radioactive
atoms present to decay.
, alpha radiation -ANSWER✅✅✅Large mass, + 2 charge. Range: 1-2". Shielding: few
cm of air, sheet of paper, dead layer of skin. Biological Hazard: Internal. Sources @
SRS: Plutonium and Uranium
beta radiation -ANSWER✅✅✅Small mass, -1 charge. Range: about 10ft. Shielding:
Plastic, glass, metal foil, safety glasses. Biological Hazard: Internal (due to short range)
external (hazardous only to skin and eyes). Sources: FAT (Fission products, Activation
products, Tritium)
gamma radiation -ANSWER✅✅✅Electromagnetic, No mass, No Charge. Range:
Several Hundred ft. Very high penetrating power(b/c no mass & no charge). Shielding:
dense material like concrete, steel, lead. Biological Hazard: whole body exposure. Can
be internal or external depends if source is inside or outside the body. Sources: FAR
(Fission products, Activation products, Radiography
neutron radiation -ANSWER✅✅✅No charge, has mass. Range: several
Hundred ft, High penetration (due to size and lack of charge, and difficult to stop).
Shielding: Water, concrete, plastic (high hydrogen content). Biological Hazard: whole
body exposure. Can be internal or external depends if source is inside or outside the
body. Sources: certain processes (areas include SRNL, HB-Line) californium (stored at
SRNL), neutron sources used for calibrating instruments in the Health Physics
Instrument Calibration Facility
Roentgen (R) -ANSWER✅✅✅•Unit for measuring exposure.
•Defined only for effect on air.
•Applies only to gamma and x-ray radiation.
•Does not relate to biological effects of radiation to the human body
Radiation Absorbed Dose (rad) -ANSWER✅✅✅•Unit for measuring absorbed dose in
any material
•Defined for any material
•Applies to all types of radiation
•Does not take into account the potential effect that different types of radiation have on
the body.
Roentgen Equivalent Man (rem) -ANSWER✅✅✅•Unit for measuring equivalent and
effective dose, most commonly used unit.
•Pertains to man
•Applies to all types of radiation
•Takes into account the energy absorbed (dose) and the biological effect on the body
due to the different types of radiation
• Equal doses of different types of radiation (as measured in RAD) can cause different
levels of damage to the body. (measured in rem)
•Dose equivalence accounts for the differences
Overview
Positive charge -ANSWER✅✅✅More protons than electrons
Negative charge -ANSWER✅✅✅More electrons than protons
No charge (neutral) -ANSWER✅✅✅# Electrons = # Protons
Ionization -ANSWER✅✅✅The process of removing electrons from electrically neutral
atoms.
Ionizing radiation -ANSWER✅✅✅Energy emitted from radioactive atoms and some
devices that can cause ionization.
Radioactive material -ANSWER✅✅✅Material that contains unstable radioactive
atoms.
Radioactive contamination -ANSWER✅✅✅Radioactive material in an unwanted place.
Radiation -ANSWER✅✅✅Energy emitted from unstable atoms.
Contamination -ANSWER✅✅✅Radioactive material in an unwanted place.
Air borne contamination -ANSWER✅✅✅Radioactive material suspended in air.
Fixed contamination -ANSWER✅✅✅It cannot be readily removed from surfaces and
may be released when the surface is disturbed.
Removable/transferable contamination -ANSWER✅✅✅It can be readily removed from
surfaces and may be transferred by casual contact or wiping.
Radioactivity -ANSWER✅✅✅The process of unstable (or radioactive) atoms trying to
become stable by emitting radiation.
Radioactive half-life -ANSWER✅✅✅The time it takes for one half of the radioactive
atoms present to decay.
, alpha radiation -ANSWER✅✅✅Large mass, + 2 charge. Range: 1-2". Shielding: few
cm of air, sheet of paper, dead layer of skin. Biological Hazard: Internal. Sources @
SRS: Plutonium and Uranium
beta radiation -ANSWER✅✅✅Small mass, -1 charge. Range: about 10ft. Shielding:
Plastic, glass, metal foil, safety glasses. Biological Hazard: Internal (due to short range)
external (hazardous only to skin and eyes). Sources: FAT (Fission products, Activation
products, Tritium)
gamma radiation -ANSWER✅✅✅Electromagnetic, No mass, No Charge. Range:
Several Hundred ft. Very high penetrating power(b/c no mass & no charge). Shielding:
dense material like concrete, steel, lead. Biological Hazard: whole body exposure. Can
be internal or external depends if source is inside or outside the body. Sources: FAR
(Fission products, Activation products, Radiography
neutron radiation -ANSWER✅✅✅No charge, has mass. Range: several
Hundred ft, High penetration (due to size and lack of charge, and difficult to stop).
Shielding: Water, concrete, plastic (high hydrogen content). Biological Hazard: whole
body exposure. Can be internal or external depends if source is inside or outside the
body. Sources: certain processes (areas include SRNL, HB-Line) californium (stored at
SRNL), neutron sources used for calibrating instruments in the Health Physics
Instrument Calibration Facility
Roentgen (R) -ANSWER✅✅✅•Unit for measuring exposure.
•Defined only for effect on air.
•Applies only to gamma and x-ray radiation.
•Does not relate to biological effects of radiation to the human body
Radiation Absorbed Dose (rad) -ANSWER✅✅✅•Unit for measuring absorbed dose in
any material
•Defined for any material
•Applies to all types of radiation
•Does not take into account the potential effect that different types of radiation have on
the body.
Roentgen Equivalent Man (rem) -ANSWER✅✅✅•Unit for measuring equivalent and
effective dose, most commonly used unit.
•Pertains to man
•Applies to all types of radiation
•Takes into account the energy absorbed (dose) and the biological effect on the body
due to the different types of radiation
• Equal doses of different types of radiation (as measured in RAD) can cause different
levels of damage to the body. (measured in rem)
•Dose equivalence accounts for the differences
