RADON STUDY GUIDE UPDATED STUDY QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS GRADED A+
✔✔What are spiked measurements? - ✔✔two side by side measurements exposed and
handles identically and introduced into the normal sample stream.
✔✔What are blank measurements? - ✔✔not exposed to the normal sample stream
✔✔What are calibration measurements? - ✔✔Taken to determine the relationship
between decays per second and picoCuries per liter
✔✔What is a calibration? - ✔✔Measurements to establish the number of counts that
must be subtracted from the gross counts
✔✔Examples of documentation of measurement include... - ✔✔-time
-date
-condition of test
-location of device
-description of detector
✔✔Which type of measurement is used to determine precision? - ✔✔Duplicates
✔✔Which type of measurements is used to determine background? - ✔✔Blanks
✔✔What Radon mitigation system prevents radon entry by reversing the flow of soil
gas? - ✔✔Active soil depressurization
✔✔What does ACH stand for? - ✔✔Air Changes per Hour
✔✔Quality assurance - ✔✔activities that provide evidence needed to establish
confidence that the data obtained are precise and accurate.
✔✔Quality control - ✔✔actual measurements that are made for the purpose of
assessing and monitoring data quality such as blanks spikes and duplicates.
✔✔Do you deploy the radon before, during or after remodeling? - ✔✔After remodeling
is complete
✔✔Where should an initial short term test be done? - ✔✔In the lowest lived in area of
the house
✔✔Follow up measurements:
, If initial is 4-10 pCi/L what should be done? - ✔✔A long term measurement lasting from
3 months - 1 year is recommended but a second short term measurement is
acceptable.
✔✔Follow up measurements:
If initial is >10 pCi/L what is recommended? - ✔✔A short term test
✔✔Post mitigation measurements - ✔✔-short term
-lowest lived in area of the home
-if during a real estate transaction, lowest suitable level for occupancy
✔✔Calibration measurements - ✔✔-done for accuracy
-twice annually
✔✔Spike measurements - ✔✔-assesses bias
-twice a year OR 3 random E-perms selected and a max of 6 per month for every 100
measurements
✔✔Blank measurements - ✔✔-assess background
✔✔Duplicate measurements - ✔✔-assess precision
-10% of houses per month OR 50 per month - whichever is smaller
✔✔Photo-multiplier tube - ✔✔-light pulses interacting with alpha particles released in
cell volume
✔✔How often are CRM's calibrated? - ✔✔Annually
✔✔How low can a homes radon level be reduced to? - ✔✔2 pCi/L
✔✔If your short term average is 4.1 pCi/L, what percent chance is it that your year
round average is below 4? - ✔✔50%
✔✔What does a point of use treatment do? - ✔✔Removes radon from water at tap
✔✔What is the #1 lung cancer cause? #2? - ✔✔-smoking tobacco
-radon exposure
✔✔Out of 1000 people who smoke, how many are expected to get lung cancer when
exposed to radon levels of 4 pCi/L? - ✔✔63
✔✔Out of 1000 people who do not smoke, how many are expected to get lung cancer
when exposed to radon levels of 4 pCi/L? - ✔✔7
ANSWERS GRADED A+
✔✔What are spiked measurements? - ✔✔two side by side measurements exposed and
handles identically and introduced into the normal sample stream.
✔✔What are blank measurements? - ✔✔not exposed to the normal sample stream
✔✔What are calibration measurements? - ✔✔Taken to determine the relationship
between decays per second and picoCuries per liter
✔✔What is a calibration? - ✔✔Measurements to establish the number of counts that
must be subtracted from the gross counts
✔✔Examples of documentation of measurement include... - ✔✔-time
-date
-condition of test
-location of device
-description of detector
✔✔Which type of measurement is used to determine precision? - ✔✔Duplicates
✔✔Which type of measurements is used to determine background? - ✔✔Blanks
✔✔What Radon mitigation system prevents radon entry by reversing the flow of soil
gas? - ✔✔Active soil depressurization
✔✔What does ACH stand for? - ✔✔Air Changes per Hour
✔✔Quality assurance - ✔✔activities that provide evidence needed to establish
confidence that the data obtained are precise and accurate.
✔✔Quality control - ✔✔actual measurements that are made for the purpose of
assessing and monitoring data quality such as blanks spikes and duplicates.
✔✔Do you deploy the radon before, during or after remodeling? - ✔✔After remodeling
is complete
✔✔Where should an initial short term test be done? - ✔✔In the lowest lived in area of
the house
✔✔Follow up measurements:
, If initial is 4-10 pCi/L what should be done? - ✔✔A long term measurement lasting from
3 months - 1 year is recommended but a second short term measurement is
acceptable.
✔✔Follow up measurements:
If initial is >10 pCi/L what is recommended? - ✔✔A short term test
✔✔Post mitigation measurements - ✔✔-short term
-lowest lived in area of the home
-if during a real estate transaction, lowest suitable level for occupancy
✔✔Calibration measurements - ✔✔-done for accuracy
-twice annually
✔✔Spike measurements - ✔✔-assesses bias
-twice a year OR 3 random E-perms selected and a max of 6 per month for every 100
measurements
✔✔Blank measurements - ✔✔-assess background
✔✔Duplicate measurements - ✔✔-assess precision
-10% of houses per month OR 50 per month - whichever is smaller
✔✔Photo-multiplier tube - ✔✔-light pulses interacting with alpha particles released in
cell volume
✔✔How often are CRM's calibrated? - ✔✔Annually
✔✔How low can a homes radon level be reduced to? - ✔✔2 pCi/L
✔✔If your short term average is 4.1 pCi/L, what percent chance is it that your year
round average is below 4? - ✔✔50%
✔✔What does a point of use treatment do? - ✔✔Removes radon from water at tap
✔✔What is the #1 lung cancer cause? #2? - ✔✔-smoking tobacco
-radon exposure
✔✔Out of 1000 people who smoke, how many are expected to get lung cancer when
exposed to radon levels of 4 pCi/L? - ✔✔63
✔✔Out of 1000 people who do not smoke, how many are expected to get lung cancer
when exposed to radon levels of 4 pCi/L? - ✔✔7
