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Science practice 101

4 questions ~9 min recommended
⏱ 00:00
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PASSAGE II

Radon is a radioactive gas that occurs naturally in the environment as a result of the decay of uranium. If inhaled into the lungs at high concentrations and over a long period of time, radon gas can increase the chance that an individual will develop lung cancer.

Outdoors, radon levels are rarely high enough to pose a health threat to individuals. Indoors, however, radon is a concern because it can seep into the foundation of a home through the ground and accumulate in areas with little ventilation, where levels can then become threatening. Radon gas can seep from the ground through many different pathways, such as cracks in the basement floor, through drains and sump pumps, or through loose-fitting pipes.

The only way to detect radon levels is through testing, using a specialized sensing device. Radon is colorless and odorless, and the levels are constantly changing from one area to the next and from one day to the next. In addition, radon exposure produces no short-term health symptoms. Therefore, radon levels should be monitored on a regular basis.

Radon potential is an estimate of the radon level of a structure measured in picocuries per liter of air (pCi/L). A picocurie is one-trillionth of a Curie (a measurement unit of radioactivity). The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) assigns each county in the United States to a zone, based on its radon potential. Radon potential is not used to determine which houses should be tested in an area. Instead, levels are used to determine if radon-resistant features should be installed in new structures being built in an area. Table 1 shows the radon levels in pCi/L for each of 3 zones, with areas in Zone 1 indicating a high radon potential, areas in Zone 2 indicating a moderate radon potential, and areas in Zone 3 indicating a low radon potential.

PASSAGE II

Radon is a radioactive gas that occurs naturally in the environment as a result of the decay of uranium. If inhaled into the lungs at high concentrations and over a long period of time, radon gas can increase the chance that an individual will develop lung cancer.

Outdoors, radon levels are rarely high enough to pose a health threat to individuals. Indoors, however, radon is a concern because it can seep into the foundation of a home through the ground and accumulate in areas with little ventilation, where levels can then become threatening. Radon gas can seep from the ground through many different pathways, such as cracks in the basement floor, through drains and sump pumps, or through loose-fitting pipes.

The only way to detect radon levels is through testing, using a specialized sensing device. Radon is colorless and odorless, and the levels are constantly changing from one area to the next and from one day to the next. In addition, radon exposure produces no short-term health symptoms. Therefore, radon levels should be monitored on a regular basis.

Radon potential is an estimate of the radon level of a structure measured in picocuries per liter of air (pCi/L). A picocurie is one-trillionth of a Curie (a measurement unit of radioactivity). The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) assigns each county in the United States to a zone, based on its radon potential. Radon potential is not used to determine which houses should be tested in an area. Instead, levels are used to determine if radon-resistant features should be installed in new structures being built in an area. Table 1 shows the radon levels in pCi/L for each of 3 zones, with areas in Zone 1 indicating a high radon potential, areas in Zone 2 indicating a moderate radon potential, and areas in Zone 3 indicating a low radon potential.

1. According to the passage, radon levels are tested indoors because:

2. All of the following are mentioned as characteristics of radon that contribute to the importance of continual in-home testing EXCEPT:

3. Studies have shown that existing homes in the same neighborhood can have very different radon levels. Are these findings consistent with information presented in the passage?

4. According to the passage, which of the following radon levels would be considered most harmful?

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