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112 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
Radioactive emission that occurs when the ratio of neutrons to protons in the nucleus is too high?
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Bata |
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How is picocuries per liter translated to a working level? |
4 pCi/L = 0.016 WL
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The EPA's action level for radon working level is?
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0.02 WL |
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What are the typical passive devices used in most homes?
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Charcoal canisters and alpha track devices
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Charcoal devices are usually left out for how many days?
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two to seven days
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Alpha track devices are usually left out for?
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three months to one year
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If above 4 pCi/L, should be verified either by:
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deploying a second device in the same location, or by deploying a long-termdevice
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The Electeret ion chamber can be configured for: |
Long or short term tests. |
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How does an alpha scintillation cell work? |
Air is continuously collected in a scintillation cell,and the RDPs are filtered out. The alpha particles cause the cell’sscintillation coating toreleaselight. The “glows” are then counted by a photo-multiplier tube
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How does a pulsed chamber work? |
The ions are detected by the electrometer producing short-term averages
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How does an alpha track detector work? |
A plastic or film inside a container with a filter-covered opening. Air diffuses (with a passive detector) pumped (with an active detector) through a filter covering a hole in the container. Decay products strike the detector, they cause damage tracks which are counted in the lab.
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What is the test period for an Alpha track detector? |
1 to 12 months |
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Advantages of an alpha detector? |
Inexpensive, convenient, do not require electric for passive and can be used long term. |
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How does an electret ion chamber work? |
A plastic canister (the ion chamber) containing an electrostatically charged disk detector or electret. Radon diffuses through a filtered cover into the chamber. The electrons are attracted to a positively charged electret disk. Ionization produces a reduction in the charge onthe electret. Voltage drop is related to the radon concentration.
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When are electret voltages measured? |
Before and after deployment |
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What are the two type of electret chambers and how are they used. |
Large - short term tests Small - long term tests |
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Measurements made in a known radon environment are called?
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Calibration measurements |
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What is a unit of exposure used to express the accumulated human exposure to radon decay products? |
A working level month (WLM) |
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How is a working level month calculated. |
Average working level to which a person has been exposed multiplied by the number of hours exposed, and dividing the product by 170. (WL x hours) / 170
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For longer Activated Charcoal exposures, ______________ improves the uniformity of response to variations of radon concentration with time. |
diffusion barrier |
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Quality assurance program for measurements with ES or EL detectorsincludes five parts: |
1. calibration; 2. known exposure detectors; 3. duplicate (collocated) detectors; 4. control detectors; 5. routine instrument checks. |
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Every ES or EL detector system (detectors plus reader) should be calibrated in a radon calibration chamber at least once every:
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12 months |
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Besides alpha radiation, what other type of radiation are Electret Chambers sensitive to? |
Gamma |
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What measurement should accompany a Electret Ion chamber in the calibration test? |
Gamma |
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The quality assurance program for ACs includes five parts:
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1. calibration;
2. known exposure detectors; 3. duplicate (collocated) detectors; 4. control detectors; 5. routine instrument checks. |
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Every AC system should be calibrated in a radon calibration chamber at least once every:
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12 months.
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Every AT laboratory system should be calibrated in a radon calibrationchamber at least:
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once every 12 months
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The CW method samples the ambient air by filtering airborne particles as the air is drawn through a filter cartridge at a low flow rate of about:
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about 0.1 to 1 liter per minute
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Continuous Working-Level (CW) detect the alpha particles
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(Po-218) and (Po-214)
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Background count-rate checks for CW monitors must be conducted after at least every:
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168 hours or fourth 48-hour measurement of operation, and whenever the unit is calibrated
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The quality assurance program for a CW system includes four parts:
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1. calibration and known exposures
2. background measurements 3. duplicate measurements 4. routine instrument checks. |
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The CW detector should be tested carefully before and after each measurement in order to:
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• verify that a new filter has been installed, and the input parameters and clock are set properly;• measure the detector's efficiency with a check source and verify the operation of the pump.
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What provides a check on the quality of the measurement result and allows the user to monitor precision error?
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Duplicate measurements |
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The degree of agreement of a measurement result with an accepted reference or true value is called
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Relative bias
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What are required both for continuous monitors and passive detectors that need laboratory analysis?
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background checks |
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Method very similar to the activated charcoal detector in that it employs a small vial of activated charcoal for sampling the radon?
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Charcoal Liquid Scintillation
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This detection category includes devices that record real-time continuous measurements of radon gas over a series of minutes, and then report the results in hourly increments:
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Continuous Radon Monitoring
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When an alpha scintillation cell is used, the room air is continuously collected in a ________
The alpha particles cause the cell’s scintillation material coating to release light. The “glows” are then counted by a photo-multiplier tube. |
scintillation cell
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The alpha particles cause a alpha cell’s scintillation material coating to release______.
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Light |
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What are counted by a photo-multiplier tube? |
Glows from alpha the cell’s scintillation material coating. |
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The result using this type of detector is normally available at the completion of the test in the home or building without additional processing or analysis. These detectors are usually deployed for a minimum of 48 hours.
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Continuous Radon Monitoring
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The degree of agreement of a measurement.
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accuracy |
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A radon or radon decay product measurement system which uses a sampling device, detector and measurement system integrated as a complete unit or as separate but portable components.
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active radon / radon decayproduct (RDP) measurement device
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The nuclear counting rate obtained on a given instrument with a background counting sample
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background instrument (analysis system or laboratory) count rate
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Assesses any exposure to the detector caused by radon exposure other than from the concentration in the environment to be measured .
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field background measurements
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To determine the response or reading of an instrument relative to a series of known values over the range of the instrument; results are used to develop correction or calibration factors.
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calibrate
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A radioactive source, not necessarily calibrated, which is used to confirm the continuing satisfactory operation of an instrument.
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check source
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Two measurements made concurrently and in the same location, or side-by-side; used to evaluate the precision of the measurement method.
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duplicate measurements
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Equilibrium ratios vary with time and location, and ratios of ________ are commonly observed.
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0.3 to 0.7
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A device that measures a single average concentration value over aperiod of time; also called a
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time-integrating device
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The smallest amount of sample activity which will yield a net count for which there is confidence at a pre-determined level that activity is present.
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lower limit of detection (LLD)
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A radon or radon decay product measurement system in which the sampling device, detector and measurement system do not function as a complete,integrated unit
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passive radon/radon decay product (RDP) measurement device
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a measure of mutual agreement among individual measurements of the same property
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precision (or precision error)
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A complete program designed to produce results which are valid,scientifically defensible, and of known precision, bias and accuracy; includesplanning, documentation, and quality control activities.
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quality assurance
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The system of activities to ensure a quality product, including measurements made to ensure and monitor data quality; includes calibrations, duplicate, blank and spiked measurements, inter-laboratory comparisons and audits.
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quality control
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An airtight enclosure in which operators can induce and control different levels of radon gas and radon decay products. Volume is such that samples can be taken without affecting the levels of either radon or its decay products within the chamber.
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Radon Chamber |
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Quality control measurements in which the detector or instrument is exposed to a known concentration and submitted for analysis; used to evaluate accuracy.
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spiked measurements,or known exposure measurements
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A measurement conducted over a specific time period (e.g., from two days to a year or more) producing results representative of the average value for that period.
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time-integrated measurement
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Radon gas is how many times heavier than air?
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7 |
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A _____ detector consists of a of a piece of cellulose nitrate film packaged in a shielded container. |
UT
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The continuous radon (CR) monitor should be tested when? |
Before and after each measurement |
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A GW air sampling pump should maintain a flow rate of ____ to ____ liters per minute. |
2 to 25 |
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The three type of ______________ sampling systems include a sampling pump and the detector assembly. |
radon progeny (PR) |
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Upon completion of radon mitigation work, a test of the mitigation systems effectiveness shall be conducted no sooner than _____ not later than _______ following completion and activation of the system, |
24 hours and 30 days |
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For a real estate test, conduct the radon test for a minimum of _________. |
48 hours |
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Directions that the building's heating,ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) system and any existing mitigation system should be normally operated _______ prior to and during all measurements.
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24 hours
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Calibration measurements must be conducted to determine and verify the ________ used to derive the concentration results.
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conversion factors
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The three types of radon progeny (RP) sampling systems include a ______ and the __________.
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sampling pump / detector assembly
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The equipment required for radon decay product concentrationdetermination by GW consists of an air sampling pump capable of maintaining aflow rate of ____to ___ liters per minute through the selected filter.
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2 to 25 |
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The _________ should be programmed to run continuously, recording the periodic integrated WL and, when possible, the total integrated average WL
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CW detector
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An ________ detector consists of a small piece of plastic or film enclosed in a container with a filter-covered opening or similar design for excluding radon decay products.
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alpha-track (AT)
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A measurement with an LS device typically lasts_______days..
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2 to 7 |
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A _____ detector consists of a piece of cellulose nitrate film packaged ina shielded container.
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UT
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The term_____ refers to the process of determining the response of an instrument (or measurement system) to a series of known values over the range of the instrument (or measurement system).
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calibration |
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_____ is the closeness of agreement between a measurement result (or the average of more than one result) and an accepted reference value.
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Accuracy |
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____ is defined as all activities required to provide the evidence needed to establish confidence that data provided are of the required precision and accuracy.
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QA or quality assurance
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The EPA defines______ as an integrated system or program of activities involving planning, quality control, quality assessment, reporting and quality improvement to ensure that a product or service meets defined standards of quality.
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QA |
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Organizations should assure that all work affecting quality of results (such as handling, storing, and analyzing devices) be prescribed in clear and complete written instructions, which are known as?
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SOP |
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When one measurement result is greater than 4 pCi/L and one measurement result is less than 4 pCi/L, then if the higher result is_____ the lower result, then the two results are not within a factor of two, and a re-tests hould be conducted.
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Twice or more |
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The action-level limit of ______ corresponds to the derived radonconcentration of 4 pCi/L when the equilibrium ratio is 50%
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0.02 WL
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If a gallon container held air with 4 pCi/L, there would be about 4 (quarts per gallon) multiplied by 4 (pCi/L) multiplied by 2.22 disintegrations per minutes,or about______ disintegrations per minutes of radon atoms in the container.
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35.2 |
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Even though the biological effects of radon are caused by _______, radon gas is usually measured, rather than RDPs
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RDPs
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The____________ method is very similar to the activated charcoal detector in that it employs a small vial of activated charcoal for sampling the radon.
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charcoal liquid scintillation
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All organizations providing measurement services with passive devices should conduct spiked measurements at a rate of_______ per 100 measurements, with a minimum of three per year, and a maximum required of six per month.
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3 |
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____ is the degree of closeness of a measured or calculated quantity to its actual or true value.
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Accuracy |
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If the short-term measurement result is equal to or greater than_____ picocuries per liter (pCi/L), or 0.02 working levels (WL), a follow-up measurement is recommended.
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4 |
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The _______ alpha track detector operates on the same principle as the alpha track detector, except that there is no filter present to remove radon decay products and other alpha particle emitters.
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unfiltered (UT)
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This method encompasses those devices that record real-time continuous measurement of radon decay products. Radon decay products are sampled by continuously pumping air through a filter.
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CW - Continuous Working Level Monitoring
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If the results of your first test are higher than _____ pCi/L, then it is recommended that you test again using another short-term test device.
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8 |
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If your first test has a result between 4 and ____ pCi/L, you have the choice of testing again. If results are needed quickly, you can re-test with a short-term (2-7 days) device.
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8
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If your followup test results are below the ____ pCi/L EPA action level, you should test again sometime in the future because your initial test has shown that your house has the potential to produce high radon levels at times.
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4.0
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Providers of passive measurement devices should conduct spiked measurements at a rate of:
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Three per 100 measurements, with a minimum of three per year, and a maximum required of six per month.
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AC Field control detectors (field blanks) should consist of a minimum:
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5% of the devices that are deployed every month, or 25, whichever is smaller.
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Duplicate measurements for passive detectors exposed by residential service providers should beside-by-sidemeasurements made in at least
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5% of the total number of measurement locations or 25 pairs each month, whichever is smaller.
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The number of duplicate AC detectors deployed should be approximately:
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10% of the number of detectors deployed each month, or 50, whichever is smaller.
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The number of duplicate EC detectors deployed should be approximately:
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10% of the number of detectors deployed each month, or 50, whichever is smaller.
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The number of duplicate AT detectors deployeds hould be approximately
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10% of the number of detectors deployed each month, or 50, whichever is smaller.
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Field control detectors must be a component of any AT measurement program. Field control ATs (field blanks) should consist of a minimum of:
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5% of the devices that are deployed every month, or 25, whichever is smaller.
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____ measurements for both active and passive detectors should be side-by-side measurements made in at least 10% of the total number of measurement locations, or 50 each month, whichever is smaller.
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Duplicate |
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About ___ out of 1,000 people who smoked could get lung cancer at 4pCi/L
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62
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About ____ out of 1,000 peoplewho never smoked could get lung cancer at 4pCi/L
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7
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EPA recommends that short-term radon testing,which lasts , be done under closed-buildingconditions.
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less than a week |
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When doing short-term testing lasting less than _____ days, it is important to maintain closed-building conditions for at least12 hours before the beginning of the test and for the entire test period
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four
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Requires an active continuous monitor (method CRor CW) that has the capability to integrate and record a new result at leastevery __________
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four hours.
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The minimum measurementperiod is 48 hours. The first four hours of data from a continuous monitor maybe discarded There must be at least _______ contiguous hours of usable data to produce a valid average
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44
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After mitigation system, retest every ___ years |
two
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ACH stands for? |
Air changes per hour |
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two ways to improve air quality |
Vent and filter |
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Whenfollowing closed-house conditions,it is required that the house be closed 12 hours prior to the beginning of a ___hour test
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48
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After 12 days only ____ percent will be left. |
12.5 |
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when dust levels are high ER will be _____ |
low |
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Requires an active continuous monitor (method CRor CW) that has the capability to integrate and record a new result at leastevery _____ hours
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four
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