Deck 8: The Nucleus

Question 1

The mass number of the nucleus is

A)7.
B)8.
C)15.
D)56.

Answer 1

15.

Question 2

A particle never emitted in beta decay is the

A)neutron.
B)neutrino.
C)electron.
D)positron.

Answer 2

neutron.

Question 3

The nucleus of a helium atom is called

A)an alpha particle.
B)a beta particle.
C)a gamma ray.
D)a quark.

Answer 3

an alpha particle.

Question 4

Which one or more of the following statements is true in general?

A)Alpha particles are less able to penetrate matter than beta particles.
B)Alpha particles are better able to penetrate matter than beta particles.
C)Alpha particles are less able to penetrate matter than gamma rays.
D)Alpha particles are better able to penetrate matter than gamma rays.
E)Both A and C

Question 5

A molecule of heavy water contains

A)two oxygen atoms instead of one.
B)three hydrogen atoms instead of two.
C)deuterium atoms instead of hydrogen atoms.
D)a deuterium atom instead of an oxygen atom.

Question 6

The electromagnetic waves emitted by a nucleus are called

A)ultraviolet rays.
B)X-rays.
C)gamma rays.
D)quarks.

Question 7

Of the following particles, the one with the smallest mass is the

A)electron.
B)proton.
C)neutron.
D)neutrino.

Question 8

The mass of a positron is

A)equal to the mass of an electron.
B)more than the mass of an electron but less than the mass of a proton.
C)equal to the mass of a proton.
D)more than the mass of a proton.

Question 9

The number of protons in the nucleus is

A)7.
B)8.
C)15.
D)56.

Question 10

A nucleus increases in atomic number when it emits

A)a proton.
B)a neutron.
C)an electron.
D)a positron.

Question 11

The number of protons in a stable nucleus is always

A)less than the number of neutrons.
B)less than or equal to the number of neutrons.
C)equal to or more than the number of neutrons.
D)more than the number of neutrons.

Question 12

Of the following particles, the one with the greatest mass is the

A)electron.
B)proton.
C)neutron.
D)neutrino.

Question 13

Which, if any, of the following elements have no radioactive isotopes?

A)hydrogen
B)potassium
C)uranium
D)All of these elements have radioactive isotopes.

Question 14

The number of neutrons in the nucleus is

A)7.
B)8.
C)15.
D)56.

Question 15

The atoms of the isotopes of an element are different in which one or more of the following?

A)number of electrons
B)number of protons
C)number of neutrons
D)atomic mass
E)Both C and D

Question 16

The atomic number of an element determines its

A)mass.
B)binding energy.
C)number of neutrons.
D)chemical behavior.

Question 17

The atomic number of the nucleus is

A)7.
B)8.
C)15.
D)56.

Question 18

The nucleus of an atom cannot be said to

A)contain most of the atom's mass.
B)be small in size.
C)be electrically neutral.
D)deflect alpha particles that come near it.

Question 19

Which of the following is not an isotope of hydrogen?

A)
B)
C)
D)

Question 20

Of the following particles, the one with the least mass is the

A)electron.
B)proton.
C)neutron.
D)neutrino.

Question 21

As a sample of a radioactive nuclide decays, its half-life

A)decreases.
B)remains the same.
C)increases.
D)Any of these choices could be correct, depending upon the nuclide.

Question 22

A reactor does not produce

A)energy.
B)neutrons.
C)uranium.
D)plutonium.

Question 23

The particle that most resembles the proton is the

A)positron.
B)neutron.
C)antiproton.
D)quark.

Question 24

When a nucleus undergoes radioactive decay, its new mass number is

A)always less than its original mass number.
B)always more than its original mass number.
C)never less than its original mass number.
D)never more than its original mass number.

Question 25

The radiation dosage due to cosmic rays is greatest

A)in orbiting spacecraft.
B)in airplanes at high altitudes.
C)at sea level.
D)underground.

Question 26

Plutonium

A)is an isotope of uranium.
B)is the result of the alpha decay of uranium.
C)is produced by the fission of uranium.
D)has a larger atomic number than uranium.

Question 27

A possible fuel for fusion reactors is

A)ordinary hydrogen.
B)deuterium.
C)uranium.
D)alpha particles.

Question 28

A method of compressing fuel for a nuclear fusion reactor that is not being studied uses

A)laser beams.
B)steady magnetic fields.
C)momentary magnetic fields.
D)hydraulic rams.

Question 29

A nucleus with too few neutrons for stability may decay radioactively with the emission of

A)a neutron.
B)a proton.
C)an electron.
D)a positron.

Question 30

The unit in which atomic masses are usually expressed is the

A)gram.
B)eV.
C)u.
D)quark.

Question 31

Nuclear fission can occur in

A)deuterium.
B)hadrons.
C)plutonium.
D)quarks.

Question 32

Which one or more of the following is not a unit of energy?

A)joule
B)kilowatt
C)ampere-hour
D)electron volt
E)Both B and C

Question 33

Most known nuclides

A)are stable.
B)are radioactive.
C)can undergo fission.
D)have more nuclear mass than the total mass of their constituent nucleons.

Question 34

An atomic nucleus has a mass that is

A)less than the total mass of its constituent nucleons.
B)the same as the total mass of its constituent nucleons.
C)more than the total mass of its constituent nucleons.
D)Any of theses choices could be correct, depending on the nucleus.

Question 35

Nuclear fission and fusion reactions give off energy because

A)the binding energy per nucleon is least for nuclei of intermediate size.
B)the binding energy per nucleon is greatest for nuclei of intermediate size.
C)they result in the production of neutrons.
D)they result in the production of plutonium.

Question 36

In a nuclear power plant, the nuclear reactor itself is used to supply

A)neutrons.
B)electricity.
C)radioactivity.
D)heat.

Question 37

If radium and chlorine combine to form radium chloride, the compound is

A)no longer radioactive.
B)half as radioactive as its radium content.
C)as radioactive as its radium content.
D)twice as radioactive as its radium content.

Question 38

Slightly enriched uranium can be the energy source of which one or more of the following?

A)nuclear fission reactors
B)nuclear fusion reactors
C)nuclear weapons
D)X-rays

Question 39

The process of pair production cannot produce

A)a proton and an antiproton.
B)a neutron and an antineutron.
C)a neutron and a neutrino.
D)an electron and a positron.

Question 40

The most important single source of radiation dosage received by an average person in the United States is

A)medical x-rays.
B)nuclear reactors.
C)radon.
D)radium.

Question 41

All known charged particles have electric charges that are multiples of $\pm$ e except for

A)electrons.
B)positrons.
C)protons.
D)quarks.

Question 42

The strongest of the fundamental interactions is the

A)gravitational interaction.
B)strong interaction.
C)weak interaction.
D)electromagnetic interaction.

Question 43

The number of quarks in a proton or a neutron is

A)1.
B)2.
C)3.
D)4.

Question 44

When a nucleus of the copper isotope captures an electron, it becomes

A) .
B) .
C) .
D) .

Question 45

Quarks are not present in

A)electrons.
B)protons.
C)neutrons.
D)hadrons.

Question 46

The half-life of a certain radioactive isotope is 6 h.If we start out with 10 g of the isotope, after 1 day there will be

A)none left.
B)0.625 g left.
C)1.6 g left.
D)2.5 g left.

Question 47

When a nucleus of the copper isotope emits a positron, it becomes

A) .
B) .
C) .
D) .

Question 48

The product of the gamma decay of the strontium isotope is

A) .
B) .
C) .
D) .

Question 49

After 10 years, 75 g of an original sample of 100 g of a certain radioactive isotope has decayed.The half-life of the isotope is

A)5 years.
B)7.5 years.
C)20 years.
D)40 years.

Question 50

The product of the alpha decay of the polonium isotope is

A) .
B) .
C) .
D) .

Question 51

A proton is annihilated when it interacts with which one or more of the following particles?

A)an electron
B)a neutron
C)an antineutron
D)an antiproton

Question 52

The nuclide that decays by electron capture to become is

A) .
B) .
C) .
D) .

Question 53

The hydrogen isotope, , decays into the helium isotope by emitting

A)an alpha particle.
B)an electron.
C)a positron.
D)a gamma ray.

Question 54

The helium isotope undergoes beta decay with the emission of an electron.The product of the decay is

A) .
B) .
C) .
D) .

Question 55

The interaction responsible for the structure of atoms, molecules, liquids, and solids is the

A)gravitational interaction.
B)strong interaction.
C)weak interaction.
D)electromagnetic interaction.

Question 56

Protons and neutrons are held together to form nuclei by the

A)gravitational interaction.
B)strong interaction.
C)weak interaction.
D)electromagnetic interaction.