Glossary cont'd - hdbk110697

DOE-HDBK-1106-97

GLOSSARY (continued)

MeV: A unit of energy. The energy acquired by an electron accelerated through a potential difference of

one million volts.

Micro-: A prefix that divides a basic unit into one million parts. Often used with activity such as

microcurie.

Milli-: A prefix that divides a basic unit by 1,000. Often used with dose and activity such as millirem or

millicurie.

Million Electron Volts (MeV): Energy equal to that acquired by a particle with one electronic charge in

passing through a potential difference of one million volts.

Minimum Detectable Activity (MDA): The lowest amount of any specific radiation that can be detected

with a particular level of statistical significance above background levels.

Nano-: A prefix that divides a basic unit by one billion. Often used in measurements of activity such as

nanocurie.

Nuclide: A species of atom having a specified number of neutrons and protons in its nucleus.

Personnel Monitoring: Monitoring any part of individuals, their breaths, or excretions, or any part of their

clothing to determine the amount of radioactivity present in or on an individual.

Pico-: A prefix that divides a basic unit by one trillion. Often used in measurements of activity such as

picocurie.

Proportional Counter: An instrument in which an electronic detection system receives pulses that are

proportional to the number of ions formed in a gas-filled tube by ionizing radiation.

Prospective Monitoring: Routine workplace and personnel monitoring for possible intakes or radioactive

materials. Prospective monitoring will typically include air monitoring, surface contamination surveys,