HEA 316 Ch. 10

Give an example of low-level radioactive wastes differ from high-level wastes.

(many possible answers)

How many nuclear fuel reprocessing plants are in operation in the United States?

0

What amount of radiation exposure constitutes high-level exposure?

1 Sv (100 rems) or higher

What is the minimum SPF sunscreen rating that is effective for preventing skin damage?

15

According to dermatologists, sunscreens must have a minimum SPF of 8 to prevent skin damage.

False

Beta radiation and x-rays have basically the same characteristics.

False

Currently most people receive approximately half their annual radiation exposure from natural sources, half from human-made sources.

False

Exposure to cosmic rays has no adverse human health impact.

False

For the average American, medical or dental x-rays represent the largest single source of exposure to ionizing radiation.

False

Gamma rays are the most energetic but least penetrating form of ionizing radiation.

False

In order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, several countries in western Europe are committed to increasing their reliance on nuclear power for meeting growing energy demands.

False

Leukemia has been the most common health effect responsible for increased morbidity and mortality among those living neat the Chernobyl nuclear power plant at the time of the 1986 accident.

False

Malignant melanoma is the most common form of skin cancer in the US.

False

Most sunscreens provide protection against UVB only.

False

Next to medical uses of radiation, nuclear weapons fallout is the most significant source of public exposure to human-made radiation.

False

Reinterpretation of data regarding radiation exposure of Japanese survivors at Hiroshima suggests that current federal radiation safety standards are overly protective in their attempt to prevent cancer and genetic defects.

False

The existence of ionizing radiation in the form of "x-rays" was discovered by Marie Curie.

False

The half-life of a radioactive substance represents the length of time it poses a threat to living organisms.

False

The most challenging radioactive waste management problems are presented by those radioactive elements with extremely long half-lives.

False

The most dangerous time for fetal exposure to ionizing radiation is the period shortly before birth.

False

There are currently two nuclear fuel reprocessing facilities operating int he US.

False

Under the provisions of the 1980 Low-Level Radioactive Waste Policy Act, the federal government has the authority to regulate and manage the disposal of all US low-level radioactive wastes.

False

What is the unit for measuring radiation damage in humans?

Sieverts or rems

A few inches of lead or several feet of concrete are necessary in order to protect from gamma rays

True

A given amount of radiation will be less harmful to insects than to humans.

True

All radiation exposure is cumulative.

True

Alpha particles are the most energetic type of radiation yet can be blocked by a simple piece of paper

True

Alpha particles present a health threat only when they are taken internally through inhalation or ingestion or when an open wound permits contact with delicate internal tissues.

True

Among consumer products, the most significant source of radiation exposure is cigarettes.

True

Because of its ability to destroy chemical bonds, ionizing radiation is more damaging to living organisms than is non-ionizing radiation.

True

Beta radiation can pass through the skin but is more dangerous when ingested with food or water.

True

Body parts that are moist and that have poor circulation -e.g. eyes, G-I tract, testes, etc. - are those most likely to be damaged by microwaves.

True

Each year more new cases of skin cancer are diagnosed than of any other type of cancer.

True

Nuclear weapon fallout need no longer be taken into consideration in calculating total human radiation exposure

True

People living in the vicinity of nuclear power plants receive minimal radiation exposure from these facilities.

True

People who survive high-level exposure to radiation are still at much higher risk than the general public of subsequently developing cancer or producing defective offspring.

True

The piles of radioactive "tailings" located near uranium mills represent the greatest source of public exposure to ionizing radiation related to nuclear power production.

True

With the possible exception of carcinogens, the health damage caused by a given quantity of radiation will be less if exposure occurs an extended time period as opposed to being delivered all at once.

True

What two fissionable materials are retrieved from spent nuclear fuel rods during fuel reprocessing?

U-235, plutonium

What is the biological effect of ultraviolet radiation?

absorbed by DNA

Only when this type of radiation is inhaled or in some way brought into contact with living tissue inside the body is harm caused by

alpha particles

What are the primary health concerns regarding low-level radiation exposure

cancer, genetic defects

What is the worst type of accident that could occur at a nuclear power plant?

core meltdown

Which of the following parts of the body is most vulnerable to the damaging effects of microwaves?

eyes

Where on the body do basal cell carcinomas most commonly occur?

face and neck

What region of the world is considered by experts to be the likeliest source for terrorists to obtain a "loose nuke"?

former Soviet Union

What range of health effects could high-level radiation exposure entail?

from nausea to death

Choose the types of ionizing radiation form the list below:

gamma rays, X-rays, beta particles, alpha particles

When would the largest number of health problems associated with detonation of a "dirty bomb" occur?

immediately after the initial explosion, due to the blast itself

What impact do microwaves have on absorbing materials?

increase rate of molecular vibration, producing heat

What would cause most of the casualties if a "dirty bomb" were detonated in a US city?

initial explosion

What characteristic of ionizing radiation gives it special significance in both human health and environmental pollution

it has the ability to break chemical bonds

What disease is most frequently associated with low-level exposure to ionizing radiation?

leukemia

What form of cancer is most frequently associated with exposure to ionizing radiation?

leukemia

What ailment in young or middle-aged adults is associated with a severe blistering sunburn during childhood or adolescence?

malignant melanoma

Which type of skin cancer has the highest fatality rate?

malignant melanoma

Which of the following statements about skin cancer is false?

malignant melanomas are the most common type of skin cancer, responsible for 400,000 new cases annually

What is the current position of the National Academy of Sciences regarding the human health impact of exposure to electromagnetic fields (EMFs)?

no evidence that EMFs have any adverse health effect

After years of research, what do most scientists say about health risks posed by exposure to electromagnetic fields (EMFs)?

no evidence that EMFs pose any human health risk

What health problems have been conclusively linked with exposure to depleted uranium munitions?

none

Name two ways in which low-level radioactive wastes differ from high-level wastes.

not physically hot, don't need shielding, won't remain dangerous as long

Fear of what possible threat led President Carter to impose a moratorium on reprocessing of commercial nuclear fuel?

nuclear proliferation, terrorism

What sorts of radioactive wastes are destined for disposal at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) in New Mexico?

plutonium waste from nuclear weapons production

Name two potential problems that are just as likely to occur among patrons of tanning parlors as they are among sunbathers on a beach.

premature aging of skin, cataracts

For the average American, which of the following represents the single largest source of exposure to ionizing radiation on a yearly basis?

radon gas

What is likely to happen if a person taking antibiotics, antihistamines, or a number of other drugs visits a tanning parlor or sunbathes outdoors?

severe sunburn

What is the major health problem associated with ultraviolet light?

skin cancer

Which of the following constitute high-level nuclear wastes?

spent fuel rods from nuclear reactors

How are high-level radioactive wastes from commercial nuclear power plants currently being managed?

stored in cooling ponds at reactor sites or in on-site dry storage casks

Name one problem caused by UVB radiation that does not occur with UVA exposure.

sunburn

The "half-life" of a radioactive isotope refers to:

the time required for half of the original amount to undergo radioactive decay

What is the purpose of nuclear fuel reprocessing?

to recover uranium and plutonium from the spent fuel rods so that these fissionable fuels can be reused

The sharp increase in skin cancer rates during the past few decades in the U.S. has largely been attributed to excess exposure to:

ultraviolet light

Which of the following forms of radiation is non-ionizing?

ultraviolet light