Deck 32: Ionizing Radiation, Nuclear Energy, and Elementary Particles

Question 1

A 75-kg worker is accidentally exposed to a 44-rad dose of gamma radiation. How much energy does the worker absorb?

A)25 J
B)17 J
C)74 J
D)59 J
E)33 J

Answer 1

33 J

Question 2

A biological tissue is irradiated with neutrons. The biologically equivalent dose of the neutrons is 2.6 × 10² rem. Determine the RBE of the neutrons if the absorbed dose is 130 rd.

A)0.5
B)2.0
C)4.0
D)5.0
E)25

Answer 2

2.0

Question 3

A particular nuclear fission reaction produces 1.50 × 10² MeV per fission. How many fissions per second are required to generate 3.00 × 10⁸ W of power?

A)2.00 × 10¹⁶
B)5.25 × 10¹⁷
C)3.20 × 10¹⁸
D)1.25 × 10¹⁹
E)6.02 × 10²³

Answer 3

1.25 × 10¹⁹

Question 4

Which source of radiation contributes most to the average biological equivalent dose received by a United States resident?

A)radon gas
B)cosmic rays
C)consumer products
D)medical diagnostics
E)internal radioactive nuclei

Question 5

Complete the following statement: The average biologically equivalent dose of radiation from consumer products received by a resident of the United States is about

A)10 mrem/yr.
B)15 mrem/yr.
C)20 mrem/yr.
D)50 mrem/yr.
E)200 mrem/yr.

Question 6

What radiation absorbed dose of slow neutrons (RBE = 2.5) is equivalent to a dose of 35.0 rad of fast neutrons (RBE = 9.0)?

A)9.7 rad
B)130 rad
C)160 rad
D)260 rad
E)320 rad

Question 7

Which one of the following quantities is not necessarily conserved in nuclear reactions?

A)electric charge
B)number of protons
C)linear momentum
D)angular momentum
E)number of protons and neutrons

Question 8

Determine the atomic number Z and the nucleon number A in the following reaction: .

A)
B)
C)
D)
E)

Question 9

What is the importance of thermal neutrons in nuclear processes?

A)Thermal neutron capture results in uranium fission.
B)Thermal neutrons are released in radioactive decay.
C)Thermal neutrons are necessary in the fusion of deuterium.
D)Thermal neutrons are commonly released in fusion reactions.
E)Thermal neutrons are sources of gamma rays.

Question 10

A radiologist absorbs 4.0 × 10^-5 J of radiation. Determine the absorbed dose if his mass is 74.0 kg.

A)3.8 × 10^-7 Gy
B)6.3 × 10^-7 Gy
C)5.4 × 10^-7 Gy
D)4.6 × 10^-7 Gy
E)5.1 × 10^-7 Gy

Question 11

The first induced nuclear reaction, , in a laboratory was studied by Rutherford in 1919. How much energy is absorbed in this reaction if the atomic masses are: = 14.003 074 u, = 16.999 133 u, $\alpha$ = 4.002 603 u, and p = 1.007 825 u? Note: 1 u = 931.5 MeV.

A)1.193 MeV
B)3.338 MeV
C)6.603 MeV
D)15.08 MeV
E)27.91 MeV

Question 12

Complete the following statement: The term ionizing radiation does not apply to

A)alpha particles.
B)electrons.
C)X-ray photons.
D)positrons.
E)radio photons.

Question 13

What absorbed dose of protons with an RBE of 17 will cause the same damage to biological tissue as a 200 rd dose of neutrons that have an RBE of 2.6?

A)3.8 rd
B)12 rd
C)26 rd
D)52 rd
E)520 rd

Question 14

A beam of 4.5-MeV neutrons is directed at a 0.030-kg tissue sample. Each second, 1.5 × 10⁶ neutrons strike the sample. If the relative biological effectiveness of these neutrons is 7.0, what biologically equivalent dose (in rem) is received by the sample in 65 seconds?

A)0.23 rem
B)0.55 rem
C)1.6 rem
D)19 rem
E)33 rem

Question 15

A physicist wishes to measure the exposure of a beam of gamma rays. The beam is passed through 2.00 × 10^-2 kg of dry air at STP. The beam produces positive ions in the air which have a total charge of 3.87 × 10^-6 C. What is the exposure (in roentgens) of the beam?

A)7.74 × 10^-8 R
B)1.94 × 10^-4 R
C)3.25 × 10^-2 R
D)0.750 R
E)1.25 R

Question 16

A medical researcher wishes to compare the tissue damage produced by slow neutrons, which have a relative biological effectiveness (RBE) of 2.2, to that produced by fast neutrons with an RBE of 8.8. For the slow neutrons, the absorbed dose is 560 rd. What absorbed dose (in rd) of fast neutrons will produce the same biologically equivalent dose (in rem) as that for the slow neutrons?

A)140 rd
B)29 rd
C)560 rd
D)310 rd
E)2240 rd

Question 17

In the induced nuclear reaction, , the reaction produces neon in an excited state, which subsequently decays into a nucleus X and a particle Y. Which one of the following X and Y pairs is not possible?

A)
B)
C)
D)
E)

Question 18

Which one of the following processes causes the explosion of a nuclear bomb?

A)beta decay
B)alpha decay
C)moderation
D)photon absorption
E)chain reaction

Question 19

Which one of the following energy values would be characteristic of a thermal neutron?

A)0.03 eV
B)0.4 eV
C)3 eV
D)100 eV
E)0.04 MeV

Question 20

A single, whole-body dose of 450 rem is considered a lethal dose for approximately fifty percent of all individuals receiving such a dose. If a 62-kg person were exposed to such a dose of radiation that has an RBE of 0.845, how much energy has the person absorbed?

A)480 J
B)5.3 J
C)75 J
D)120 J
E)330 J

Question 21

Determine the amount of energy released in the following reaction: where = 4.002 603 u and = 12.000 000 u.

A)2.27 MeV
B)3.01 MeV
C)3.73 MeV
D)4.37 MeV
E)7.27 MeV

Question 22

Note the forces:
(1) weak nuclear force
(2) strong nuclear force
(3) gravitational force
(4) electromagnetic force
Through which force(s) can leptons interact?

A)only 1
B)only 2
C)only 1 and 2
D)only 2, 3 and 4
E)only 1, 3, and 4

Question 23

How many members are in the photon family?

A)1
B)2
C)3
D)4
E)5

Question 24

Which one of the following particles is not a baryon?

A)proton
B)neutron
C)pion
D)sigma particle
E)lambda particle

Question 25

Which one of the following statements is true concerning the proton?

A)The proton cannot be further subdivided.
B)The proton is composed of two up quarks and a down quark.
C)The proton is composed of two down quarks and an up quark.
D)The proton is composed of a down quark and an up antiquark.
E)The proton is composed of an up quark and a down antiquark.

Question 26

Which one of the following particles is not composed of quarks?

A)neutron
B)muon
C)pion
D)kaon
E)proton

Question 27

Which one of the following statements concerning pions is true?

A)They are stable particles.
B)They belong to the lepton family.
C)They are composed of three quarks.
D)They only exist in two charge states.
E)They interact with protons via the strong interaction.

Question 28

Which one of the following names is not one that is used to name quarks?

A)charm
B)top
C)strange
D)exotic
E)down

Question 29

What is the function of the moderator in a fission reactor?

A)The moderator absorbs gamma rays.
B)The moderator absorbs slow neutrons.
C)The moderator decreases the speeds of fast neutrons.
D)The moderator prevents heat loss from the reactor core.
E)The moderator prevents the reactor from reaching a critical state.

Question 30

What is the antiparticle of an electron?

A) $\pi$ ⁺
B)v⁺
C)electron (self)
D)photon
E) $\beta$ ⁺

Question 31

Which one of the following statements is true concerning the reaction where has a mass of 2.014 u; has a mass of 4.003 u; has a mass of 6.015 u; and 1 u = 931.5 MeV?

A)The reaction releases 14 MeV.
B)The reaction releases 21 MeV.
C)The reaction releases 36 MeV.
D)The reaction requires 14 MeV to occur.
E)The reaction requires 21 MeV to occur.

Question 32

One of the nuclear fusion reactions that occurs in stars is: where the masses are = 20.993 849 u; = 4.002 603 u; = 23.985 042 u; and = 1.008 665 u. How much energy is released in this reaction?

A)2.557 MeV
B)4.572 MeV
C)6.452 MeV
D)8.493 MeV
E)9.370 MeV

Question 33

A nuclear reactor continuously generates 150 MW of power through the fissioning of uranium. Suppose that each fission releases 190 MeV. If one mole of uranium (6.023 × 10²³ nuclei) has a mass of 0.235 kg, what mass of uranium has undergone fission in a 4.0 day period?

A)0.33 kg
B)0.67 kg
C)1.3 kg
D)2.6 kg
E)5.2 kg

Question 34

Determine the amount of energy released in the following reaction: . Use the following information for your calculation: has a mass of 2.014 102 u, has a mass of 4.002 603 u, and 1 u = 931.5 MeV.

A)0.20 MeV
B)11.9 MeV
C)23.8 MeV
D)257 MeV
E)7480 MeV

Question 35

How many neutrons are produced in the following reaction:

A)11
B)12
C)22
D)24
E)48

Question 36

Which one of the following statements is the best explanation as to why nuclear fusion is not at present used to generate electric power?

A)Fusion produces too much radiation.
B)Fusion requires isotopes that are scarce.
C)Fusion processes can result in nuclear explosions.
D)Fusion results in large amounts of radioactive waste.
E)Fusion requires very high temperatures that are difficult to contain.

Question 37

In the medical diagnostic technique known as positron emission tomography (PET), a positron and an electron annihilate each other and two $\gamma$ -ray photons are emitted. What is the angle between the momentum vectors of the two photons?

A)zero degrees
B)45°
C)90°
D)180°
E)Any angle is possible.

Question 38

Determine the amount of energy released in the following reaction: where the masses are

A)2.02 eV
B)4.03 eV
C)2.02 MeV
D)4.03 MeV
E)8.00 MeV

Question 39

How many kilowatt . hours of energy are released from 25 g of deuterium fuel in the fusion reaction: where the masses are = 2.014 102 u and = 4.002 603 u. Notes: Ignore the energy carried off by the gamma ray.
Conversion factors: 1 kWh = 3.600 × 10⁶ J; 1 eV = 1.602 × 10^-19 J.

A)1 × 10⁶ kWh
B)2 × 10⁶ kWh
C)3 × 10⁶ kWh
D)4 × 10⁶ kWh
E)5 × 10⁶ kWh

Question 40

Which one of the following particles is not a member of the hadron family?

A)pion
B)neutron
C)muon
D)kaon
E)proton

Question 41

Consider the nuclear reaction and the masses: = 235.0439 u; = 93.9063 u; n = 1.008 67 u. If 208.66 MeV of energy is released in this reaction, determine the mass of X.

A)38.970 u
B)39.962 u
C)40.962 u
D)84.589 u
E)139.905 u

Question 42

Which one of the following statements about the standard model is false?

A)The weak nuclear force and the electromagnetic force are manifestations of a more fundamental interaction called the electroweak interaction.
B)The strong nuclear force between quarks is described in terms of the concept of color.
C)The standard model provides an explanation for the strong nuclear and weak nuclear forces.
D)The gravitational force and the strong nuclear force are manifestations of a more fundamental interaction called the quark interaction.
E)Nucleons are composed of quarks.

Question 43

Astronomers studying the light from calcium atoms located in a galaxy in the constellation Boötes find that the spectral lines are shifted toward the red end of the spectrum. The redshift indicates that the galaxy is moving away at a speed of 3.9 × 10⁶ m/s. What is the distance (in light . years) to the galaxy?

A)4.7 × 10⁹ light . years
B)2.3 × 10⁸ light .years
C)1.1 × 10⁷ light . years
D)8.4 × 10⁶ light . years
E)6.6 × 10⁴ light . years

Question 44

Which one of the following statements concerning the standard cosmological model is false?

A)Shortly after the Big Bang, all of the fundamental forces behaved as a single force.
B)About 0.5 million years after the Big Bang, hydrogen and helium atoms began to form.
C)The first distinguishable particles in existence after the Big Bang were quarks and leptons.
D)The Grand Unified Theory describes the universe immediately before and shortly after the Big Bang.
E)At 10^-43 s after the Big Bang, the gravitational force was distinguishable from the other fundamental forces.

Question 45

Nucleus A has Z protons and N neutrons. Nucleus B has 2Z protons and 2N neutrons. Nucleus A has a smaller binding energy per nucleon than B. Which entry in the table below is correct?

A)
B)
C)
D)
E)