Deck 14: Nuclear Chemistry Available Through Custom Publishing

Question 1

In the context of radioactive decay, _____ is the emission of a high-energy photon.

A)alpha decay
B)beta decay
C)gamma decay
D)electron capture

Answer 1

gamma decay

Question 2

Radioactive decay is a nonspontaneous process.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

The energy of the sun originates in a fission reaction in which a helium nucleus splits into four hydrogen nuclei.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

Which of the following statements is true of an alpha particle?

A)It is less massive than a beta particle.
B)It is less massive than a neutron.
C)It is a hydrogen nucleus.
D)It is positively charged.

Question 5

In the context of radioactive decay, the electrons emitted from the nucleus are usually called _____.

A)alpha particles
B)beta particles
C)neutrinos
D)antineutrinos

Question 6

When a nucleus undergoes alpha decay, an electron is ejected from the nucleus.

Question 7

Which of the following statements is true of the beta decay of a nucleus?

A)It results in an increase in the mass number.
B)It results in a decrease in the atomic number.
C)It results in the emission of an antineutrino.
D)It results in the emission of a high-energy photon.

Question 8

In the context of the penetrating power of various forms of ionizing radiation, alpha particles can pass completely through the human body and can damage internal organs.

Question 9

A positron is a negatively charged proton.

Question 10

_____ are the most prevalent elements in cosmic rays.

A)Hydrogen and helium
B)Carbon and oxygen
C)Nitrogen and neon
D)Magnesium and silicon

Question 11

Cosmic rays are photons travelling at high speeds.

Question 12

When a nucleus undergoes alpha decay, _____. its atomic number increases by 2

A)its mass number decreases by 4
B)its atomic number increases by 2
C)it emits a positron
D)it emits an electron

Question 13

Fusion does not produce the high-level radioactive waste that fission generates.

Question 14

When a nucleus undergoes beta decay, _____.

A)its mass number decreases by 2
B)its atomic number increases by 1
C)it emits a proton
D)it emits a high-energy photon

Question 15

Which of the following statements is true of an antineutrino emitted in beta decay?

A)Its mass is equivalent to the mass of a neutron.
B)It has no electric charge.
C)Its mass is equivalent to the mass of a proton.
D)It has a negative charge.

Question 16

Commercial nuclear reactors rely on controlled nuclear fusion reactions.

Question 17

Which of the following statements is true of the isotopes of carbon?

A)Naturally occurring terrestrial carbon is 98.9% carbon-14.
B)Carbon-13 is unstable, and it undergoes spontaneous radioactive decay.
C)Carbon-14 is unstable, and it undergoes spontaneous radioactive decay.
D)Naturally occurring terrestrial carbon is 98.9% carbon-13.

Question 18

In the context of measuring the dose of radiation, the exposure measures the amount of radiation actually absorbed by a particular material.

Question 19

In the context of energetics of nuclear reactions, the greater the nuclear binding energy, the less stable the nucleus.

Question 20

Which of the following completes the nuclear decay equation given below?

A)
B)
C)
D)

Question 21

The radioactive decay of uranium^-238to form a stable lead^-206product involves _____ beta decays.

A)two
B)four
C)six
D)eight

Question 22

Which of the following statements is true of nuclear fusion?

A)It generates high-level radioactive waste similar to that of nuclear fission.
B)It involves splitting a heavier nucleus into smaller nuclei.
C)It yields more energy per nucleus than nuclear fission.
D)Its primary product is deuterium.

Question 23

invariant mass In the context of fission reactions, the amount of material required for a sustainable chain reaction is called the _____.

A)inertial mass
B)relativistic mass
C)critical mass
D)invariant mass

Question 24

The radioactive decay of uranium^-238to form a stable lead^-206product involves _____ alpha decays.

A)two
B)four
C)six
D)eight

Question 25

Which of the following statements is true of gamma decay?

A)It leads to the emission of positrons.
B)It is the process by which a nucleus captures an electron from the first shell in an atom.
C)It accompanies the alpha decay of most nuclei.
D)It changes neither the mass number nor the atomic number of a nuclide.

Question 26

In electron capture, a nucleus captures an electron from the _____ shell in an atom.

A)first
B)second
C)third
D)fourth

Question 27

The decay series starting with uranium^-238involves a series of alpha and beta emissions before it eventually produces a stable _____ product.

A)thallium^-204
B)lead^-206
C)polonium^-210
D)thorium^-234

Question 28

Which of the following statements is true of the nuclear binding energy of a nucleus?

A)It is directly proportional to the stability of a nucleus.
B)It is inversely proportional to the stability of a nucleus.
C)It is independent of the mass of a nucleus.
D)It is independent of the mass of an atom.

Question 29

In the context of the ionizing and penetrating power of radiation, _____ penetrate into the skin but generally cannot reach internal organs.

A)gamma rays
B)radio waves
C)alpha particles
D)beta particles

Question 30

Calculate the energy released by a nucleus of uranium^-235if it splits into an antimony^-132nucleus and a niobium^-101nucleus according to the equation below. Consider the atomic masses of , , , and to be 235.044 u, 131.915 u, 100.915 u, and 1.00866 u, respectively.

A)-1.53 × 10^{- 11} J
B)-2.94 × 10^-11J
C)1.53 × 10^-11J
D)2.94 × 10^-11J

Question 31

The SI unit of nuclear activity is the _____.

A)curie
B)becquerel
C)candela
D)lux

Question 32

In the context of the ionizing and penetrating power of radiation, _____ can pass completely through a human body and damage internal organs.

A)gamma rays
B)radio waves
C)alpha particles
D)beta particles

Question 33

The half-life of uranium^-238is 4.5 billion years. What is the decay constant for uranium^-238?

A)1.72 × 10^-7yr^-1
B)1.65 × 10^-8yr^-1
C)1.44 × 10^-9yr^-1
D)1.54 × 10^-10yr^-1

Question 34

In the context of the nuclear binding energy, which of the following is the most stable nuclei?

A)Chromium^{- 52}
B)Iron^-56
C)Krypton^-84
D)Tin^-119

Question 35

A tiny sample of a fabric is burned  to CO_2,and the  ratio is 0.350 times the ratio in today's atmosphere. How old is the fabric if the half-life of carbon^-14is 5730 years?

A)8676 years
B)9252 years
C)10,320 years
D)11,425 years

Question 36

Electron capture leads to the:

A)emission of an electron from the second shell in an atom.
B)conversion of a proton in the nucleus to a neutron.
C)emission of a beta particle.
D)conversion of a neutron in the nucleus to a proton.

Question 37

Which of the following statements is true of nuclear stability?

A)The nuclear binding energy is directly proportional to nuclear stability.
B)The nuclear stability increases with an increase in mass number (Z)till Z = 93.
C)The nuclear stability decreases with an increase in mass number (Z)till Z = 83.
D)The nuclear binding energy is inversely proportional to nuclear stability.

Question 38

In the context of transmutation,  in the equation below is called a(n)_____.

A)alpha particle
B)isotope
C)compound nucleus
D)beta particle

Question 39

In the context of nuclear stability, when the atomic number _____ no number of neutrons can stabilize the nucleus and its large collection of positive charges.

A)less than 33
B)more  than 33 but less than 52
C)more than 52 but less than 83
D)more than 83

Question 40

A(n)_____ is a positively charged electron.

A)neutrino
B)photon
C)positron
D)antineutrino