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