Block 7 Unit 1 & 2 Flashcards
Who is the NRC (Nuclear Regulatory Commission)?
They are a independent agency created by Energy Reorganization Act of 1974
What AFMAN is associated with Ionizing Radiation Protection?
AFMAN 48-148
Who is the Radioisotope Committee? aka (RIC)
A Committee composed of members in the air force and is responsible for regulatory oversight use of radioactive materials
What does the IRSO (INSTALLATION RADIATION SAFETY OFFICER) do?
Provide consult to installation Commanders on radiation protection issues. In most cases the IRSO will be a BE with additional training. They also Establish and manage base radiation safety program.
Who is the Unit RSO and Permit RSO?
Both provide Consult to Org/Unit Commanders on radiation protection issues. The Permit RSO can only be assigned if the base has a USAF Radioactive Material Permit (RAM).
What role does BE play in Radiation safety
The main source and the experts on radiation hazards and biological effects from USAF School of Aerospace Medicine (USAFSAM) and the AFRL. BE also establishes the Ionizing radiation safety program.
What is Ionizing radiation?
A form of energy
What does the atom Consist of?
A nucleus and electron cloud
Describe Protons
Positively charged subatomic particles. The number of protons determine the element
Describe Neutrons
Uncharged subatomic particles aka neutral charge
Describe Electrons
Negatively charged subatomic particles
What is Atomic Mass
The Total measure of the subatomic particles. Neutrons + Protons = Atomic Mass
What are Isotopes
Sub classes of the main element ex. Cobalt-59 has 27 protons and 32 neutrons Cobalt 60 has 27 protons and 33 neutrons hence why its called cobalt 60
What is Binding energy?
It is the energy needed to hold a nucleus together it is also the amount needed to break it
What is Ionization Potential?
The amount of ionization potential needed to ionize the LEAST tightly bound electron in an atom
Describe Radiation energy
It is energy that is emitted or transmitted from a source of particles or waves. Waves of radiation is know as X-ray and Gamma rays
What is Radioactivity?
When the spontaneous transformation of an unstable atom that emits radiation occurs.
What is alpha decay?
The process when the radioactive process particle that has two neutrons and two protons is ejected form the nucleus of a radioactive atom. The two neutrons and protons make the Alpha particle
What is the Difference between Alpha, Beta, Neutron decay and Gamma Decay?
Alpha, Beta, and Neutron are all Particles while Gamma is a ray like X-ray
What is Beta Decay?
The emission of electrons-like particles from the nucleus of an atom. They are made either by Protons convert into neutron or vise versa
What are Neutron Emissions?
A high speed nuclear particle that’s capable to induce radioactivity in other atoms. This process is called nuclear activation
What are Linear Energy Transfer (LET)
As ionized radiation passes through a medium some of its charge is put into the atom.
What is High LET
Matter that ionizes over a very short distance. Alpha particles have the highest form of radiation.
What is Low LET
Matter that produces fewer ionizations per path length
What is bremsstrahlung
When a fast beta particle or electron gets close to the nucleus
Photoelectric effects
low energy photon strikes a atom resulting in ionization of the atom and the ejection of a energized neutron
Compton Scattering
When Both electron and Photon scatter away from each other
Pair production
Occurs when a high energy photon enter the area around nucleus the energy then converts into the mass of two photons and the rest is left as kinetic energy then these two photons are opposite charges from one another
What are the three Neutron interactions
Elastic scattering - When a neutron collides with a nucleus resulting in a slower neutron and a recoiling nucleus
Inelastic scattering - When the kinetic energy of a system is changed, meaning the neutron transfer so the target nucleus
Neutron capture - a special kind of inelastic scattering where the neutron in stead of bouncing off is rather absorbed only if low enough kinetic energy and the nucleus has a high enough cross section
