Deck 20: Radioactivity and Nuclear Chemistry

Question 1

Write the nuclear equation for the alpha decay of Ra.

A) Ra +
He →
Th
B) Ra →
n +
Ra
C) Ra →
e +
Ac
D) Ra +
e →
Ac
E) Ra →
He +
Rn

Answer 1

Ra →
He +
Rn

Question 2

Determine the identity of the daughter nuclide from the positron emission of O.

A) C
B) F
C) N
D) N
E) C

Answer 2

N

Question 3

Which of the following nuclides are most likely to decay via positron emission?

A) Na-26
B) I-121
C) Ca-42
D) S-30
E) Sb-122

Answer 3

S-30

Question 4

Determine the identity of the daughter nuclide from the electron capture by Fe.

A) Co
B) Mn
C) Co
D) Mn
E) Cr

Question 5

Identify a nuclide.

A) a particular radical
B) a particular cation
C) a particular atom
D) a particular isotope
E) a particular anion

Question 6

Identify the radioactive element that is so radioactive that it glows visibly and emits heat.

A) radium
B) xenon
C) curium
D) radon
E) cesium

Question 7

Write the nuclear equation for the alpha decay of Th.

A) He +
Th →
U
B) n +
Th →
Th
C) Th →
e +
Ac
D) Th →
He +
Ra
E) Th →
e +
Pa

Question 8

Write a nuclear equation for the alpha decay of Pu.

A) Pu →
e +
Am
B) Pu →
He +
U
C) Pu →
e +
Np
D) Pu →
n +
Pu
E) Pu →
e +
Np

Question 9

Which of the following statements is TRUE?

A) If N/Z ratio is too high, there are too many protons and the nuclide will undergo positron emission or electron capture.
B) If N/Z ratio lies somewhere below 1, the nuclide is stable.
C) If N/Z ratio is too low, there are too many neutrons and the nuclide will undergo beta decay.
D) The valley of stability is the geographic location where many of the known nuclides were first discovered.
E) None of the above is true.

Question 10

Identify the scientist(s)that were awarded the Nobel Prize in physics for the discovery of radioactivity in 1903.

A) Johannes Geiger, Marie Curie
B) Albert Einstein
C) Antoine-Henri Becquerel, Marie Curie, Pierre Curie
D) Ernest Rutherford, Johannes Geiger
E) Galileo Galilei

Question 11

Which of the following nuclides are most likely to decay via beta decay?

A) I-126
B) Al-24
C) N-13
D) Cs-137
E) Na-20

Question 12

Which of the following nuclides are most likely to decay via beta decay?

A) I-131
B) Ar-40
C) F-18
D) Zr-90
E) Pb-206

Question 13

Determine the identity of the daughter nuclide from the electron capture by Rb.

A) Kr
B) Sr
C) Br
D) Y
E) Kr

Question 14

Write a nuclear equation for the alpha decay of Am.

A) Am →
He +
Np
B) Am →
He +
Bk
C) Am →
e +
Cm
D) Am →
e +
Pu
E) Am →
n +
Am

Question 15

Write a nuclear equation for the alpha decay of U.

A) U →
n +
U
B) U →
e +
Np
C) U →
He +
Th
D) U →
e +
Pa
E) U →
e +
Pa

Question 16

Identify the elements discovered by Marie Curie.

A) polonium and radium
B) radium and cesium
C) argon and xenon
D) radon and xenon
E) selenium and tungsten

Question 17

Which of the following statements is TRUE?

A) Positrons are similar in ionizing power and penetrating power to beta particles.
B) A positron is the antiparticle of the electron.
C) Beta decay occurs when a neutron changes into a proton while emitting an electron.
D) An alpha particle is a helium 2+ ion.
E) All of the above are true.

Question 18

Determine the identity of the daughter nuclide from the positron emission of C.

A) B
B) N
C) C
D) B
E) N

Question 19

Which of the following nuclides are most likely to decay via positron emission?

A) Cs-137
B) I-131
C) Al-24
D) K-42
E) N-14

Question 20

Determine the identity of the daughter nuclide from the positron emission of N.

A) O
B) C
C) O
D) B
E) F

Question 21

The age of an ancient tree trunk is estimated using radiocarbon dating.If the trunk has a C-14 decay rate that is 34% of what it is in living plants,how old is the trunk? The half-life of C-14 is 5730 years.

A) 2.92 × 10⁴ years
B) 1.94 × 10⁴ years
C) 8.92 × 10³ years
D) 5.31 × 10³ years
E) 1.74 × 10² years

Question 22

An archaeologist graduate student found a leg bone of a large animal during the building of a new science building.The bone had a carbon-14 decay rate of 14.8 disintegrations per minute per gram of carbon.Living organisms have a decay rate of 15.3 disintegrations per minute.How old is the bone?

A) 53.3 years
B) 275 years
C) 111 years
D) 25 years
E) 83 years

Question 23

Write a nuclear equation to describe the neutron induced fission of U-235 to form Xe-134 and Sr-100.Determine how many neutrons are produced in the reaction.

A) 4
B) 3
C) 1
D) 0
E) 2

Question 24

the atomic bomb has the power of ________ tons of dynamite.

A) 18.,000
B) 22,000
C) 50,000
D) 10,000
E) 15,000

Question 25

Identify the instrument(s)used to detect radiation.

A) film-badge dosimeter
B) Geiger-Muller counter
C) scintillation counter
D) all of the above
E) none of the above

Question 26

Identify the elements used in radiometric dating.

A) carbon-14 to nitrogen-14
B) uranium-238 to lead-206
C) potassium-40 to argon-40
D) all of the above
E) none of the above

Question 27

The nuclide As-76 has a half-life of 26.0 hours.If a sample of As-76 weighs 344 g,what mass of As-76 remains after 538 minutes?

A) 67.8 g
B) 271 g
C) 144 g
D) 437 g
E) 251 g

Question 28

Calculate the mass defect in Fe-56 if the mass of an Fe-56 nucleus is 55.921 amu.The mass of a proton is 1.00728 amu and the mass of a neutron is 1.008665 amu.

A) 0.528 amu
B) 3.507 amu
C) 0.564 amu
D) 1.056 amu
E) 0.079 amu

Question 29

Identify the technique used to predict the age of the Shroud of Turin.

A) uranium-238 to lead-206
B) potassium-40 to argon-40
C) carbon-14 to nitrogen-14
D) none of the above
E) all of the above

Question 30

Define mass defect.

A) the difference in mass between an atom and the sum of its separate components
B) an atom with too many neutrons
C) the difference in mass between a radioactive atom and a nonradioactive atom
D) energy released in a radioactive reaction
E) energy absorbed in a radioactive reaction

Question 31

The splitting of the uranium atom is an example of

A) radioactive cleavage.
B) nuclear fission.
C) nuclear fusion.
D) radioactive merge.
E) half-life.

Question 32

Write a nuclear equation to describe the neutron induced fission of Pu to form Kr and Ce.Determine how many neutrons are produced in the reaction.

A) 2
B) 0
C) 3
D) 1
E) 4

Question 33

Write a nuclear equation to describe the spontaneous fission of Am to form I-134 and Mo-107.Determine how many neutrons are produced in the reaction.

A) 0
B) 1
C) 2
D) 3
E) 4

Question 34

A geological sample is found to have a Pb-206/U-238 mass ratio of 0.337/1.00.Assuming there was no Pb-206 present when the sample was formed,how old is it? The half-life of U-238 is 4.5 × 10⁹ years.

A) 7.3 × 10¹¹ years
B) 1.4 × 10¹⁰ years
C) 2.4 × 10¹⁰ years
D) 2.1 × 10⁹ years
E) 7.1 × 10⁹ years

Question 35

Fluorine-18 undergoes positron emission with a half-life of 1.10 × 10² minutes.If a patient is given a 248 mg dose for a PET scan,how long will it take for the amount of fluorine-18 to drop to 83 mg? (Assume that none of the fluorine is excreted from the body.)

A) 99 minutes
B) 1.74 × 10² minutes
C) 1.32 × 10² minutes
D) 3.00 × 10² minutes
E) 2.11 × 10² minutes

Question 36

The splitting of a heavy nucleus to form two or more lighter ones is called

A) radioactive cleavage.
B) nuclear fission.
C) nuclear fusion.
D) radioactive merge.
E) half-life.

Question 37

Calculate the mass defect in Mo-96 if the mass of a Mo-96 nucleus is 95.962 amu.The mass of a proton is 1.00728 amu and the mass of a neutron is 1.008665 amu.

A) 0.197 amu
B) 0.795 amu
C) 0.212 amu
D) 0.812 amu
E) 0.188 amu

Question 38

Identify the nuclide that has the shortest half-life.

A) U
B) C
C) Rn
D) Th
E) Th

Question 39

Give the goal of the Manhattan project.

A) to build an hydrogen bomb
B) to build the first particle accelerator at Cornell
C) to build an atomic bomb
D) to build the first nuclear reactor to generate electricity for Manhattan
E) to set up the electrification of Manhattan using DC current

Question 40

Identify the nuclide that has the longest half-life.

A) U
B) C
C) Rn
D) Th
E) Th

Question 41

Identify the radioactive green light that glows in the dark.

A) phenol red
B) radioactivity
C) phosphorescence
D) desensitivity
E) argon

Question 42

Determine the binding energy of an O-16 nucleus.The O-16 nucleus has a mass of 15.9905 amu.A proton has a mass of 1.00728 amu,a neutron has a mass of 1.008665 amu,and 1 amu is equivalent to 931 MeV of energy.

A) 8.84 MeV
B) 128 MeV
C) 138 MeV
D) 78.1 MeV
E) 38.2 MeV

Question 43

Identify the radiotracer used to study the thyroid.

A) iron-59
B) phosphorus-32
C) thallium-201
D) iodine-131
E) fluorine-18

Question 44

In a linear accelerator,

A) an uncharged particle is accelerated in an evacuated tube.
B) a similarly alternating voltage is used to accelerate a charged particle.
C) a charged particle is accelerated in an evacuated tube.
D) a single phase voltage is used to accelerate a charged particle.
E) a similarly alternating voltage is used to accelerate an uncharged particle.

Question 45

Determine the binding energy per nucleon of an Mg-24 nucleus.The Mg-24 nucleus has a mass of 23.985045.A proton has a mass of 1.00728 amu,a neutron has a mass of 1.008665 amu,and 1 amu is equivalent to 931.5 MeV of energy.

A) 0.3050 MeV
B) 8.83 MeV
C) 0.113 MeV
D) 192 MeV
E) 4.41 MeV

Question 46

In a cyclotron,

A) an uncharged particle is accelerated in an evacuated tube.
B) a similarly alternating voltage is used to accelerate a charged particle.
C) a charged particle is accelerated in an evacuated tube.
D) a single phase voltage is used to accelerate a charged particle.
E) a similarly alternating voltage is used to accelerate an uncharged particle.

Question 47

Identify the part of the body that can be studied with radiotracers.

A) spleen
B) brain
C) heart
D) tumors
E) all of the above

Question 48

Identify the radiotracer used to study problems with blood.

A) iron-59
B) phosphorus-32
C) thallium-201
D) iodine-131
E) fluorine-18

Question 49

Identify an alpha particle.

A) n
B) n
C) e
D) He
E) γ

Question 50

Define transmutation.

A) the transformation of one element into another
B) the loss of neutrons from an atom
C) the loss of electrons from an atom
D) the loss of protons from an atom
E) the gain of neutrons to an atom

Question 51

Calculate the mass defect in Ni-59 if the mass of a Ni-59 nucleus is 58.69344 amu.The mass of a proton is 1.00728 amu and the mass of a neutron is 1.008665 amu.

A) 0.232 amu
B) 0.779 amu
C) 0.230 amu
D) 0.775 amu
E) 0.221 amu

Question 52

Identify the lowest natural radiation.

A) cosmic radiation from outer space
B) terrestrial radiation
C) natural radionuclides in the body
D) a five-hour jet airplane ride
E) radon gas

Question 53

The combination of two light nuclei to form a heavier nucleus is called

A) radioactive cleavage.
B) nuclear fission.
C) nuclear fusion.
D) radioactive merge.
E) half-life.

Question 54

Which particle changes the mass of the isotope the most?

A) alpha particle
B) neutron particle
C) gamma capture
D) positron emission
E) electron capture

Question 55

A hydrogen bomb has up to ________ times the explosive force of the first atomic bomb.

A) 2000
B) 1000
C) 500
D) 200
E) 100

Question 56

Identify the highest natural radiation.

A) cosmic radiation from outer space
B) terrestrial radiation
C) natural radionuclides in the body
D) a five-hour jet airplane ride
E) radon gas

Question 57

Determine the binding energy of an F-19 nucleus.The F-19 nucleus has a mass of 18.99840325 amu.A proton has a mass of 1.00728 amu,a neutron has a mass of 1.008665 amu,and 1 amu is equivalent to 931 MeV of energy.

A) 142 MeV
B) 796 MeV
C) 1080 MeV
D) 143 MeV
E) 145 MeV

Question 58

Give the conditions for nuclear fusion.

A) 1 atmosphere
B) catalyst
C) low temperature
D) low pressure
E) high temperature

Question 59

Identify the radiotracer used to for PET studies of the heart.

A) iron-59
B) phosphorus-32
C) thallium-201
D) iodine-131
E) fluorine-18

Question 60

Which particle changes the mass of the isotope the least?

A) alpha emission
B) proton capture
C) gamma particle
D) positron capture
E) electron capture

Question 61

Describe what changes occur during beta decay.

A) The mass number and atomic number decrease.
B) The mass number and atomic number increase.
C) The mass number increases and the atomic number is unchanged.
D) The mass number is unchanged and the atomic number increases.
E) The mass number and atomic number do not change.

Question 62

Describe what changes occur during alpha decay.

A) The mass number and atomic number decrease.
B) The mass number and atomic number increase.
C) The mass number increases and the atomic number decreases.
D) The mass number is unchanged and the atomic number increases.
E) The mass number and atomic number do not change.

Question 63

Determine the identity of the daughter nuclide from the positron emission of Ge.

A) Ga
B) As
C) Zn
D) As
E) Ga

Question 64

Identify a gamma particle.

A) n
B) n
C) e
D) He
E) γ

Question 65

The following reaction represents what nuclear process? Pb → e + Bi

A) alpha emission
B) gamma capture
C) electron capture
D) proton capture
E) beta emission

Question 66

Describe what changes occur during gamma ray emission.

A) The mass number and atomic number decrease.
B) The mass number and atomic number increase.
C) The mass number is unchanged and the atomic number decreases.
D) The mass number increases and the atomic number decreases.
E) The mass number and atomic number do not change.

Question 67

Describe what changes occur during positron emission.

A) The mass number and atomic number decrease.
B) The mass number and atomic number increase.
C) The mass number is unchanged and the atomic number decreases.
D) The mass number decreases and the atomic number is unchanged.
E) The mass number and atomic number do not change.

Question 68

Determine the identity of the daughter nuclide from the beta decay of C.

A) N
B) Be
C) N
D) C
E) B

Question 69

Determine the identity of the daughter nuclide from the beta decay of P.

A) P
B) S
C) S
D) Si
E) Al

Question 70

Determine the identity of the daughter nuclide from the alpha decay of Po.

A) Rn
B) Pb
C) Ra
D) Hg
E) At

Question 71

Determine the identity of the daughter nuclide from the electron capture by Be.

A) C
B) He
C) B
D) Li
E) B

Question 72

Which of the following statements is TRUE?

A) Alpha particles have the lowest penetrating power of any radioactivity.
B) Beta radiation has the lowest ionizing power of any radioactivity.
C) Beta emitters will do more damage than alpha emitters within the body.
D) Beta radiation has the highest ionizing power of any radioactivity.
E) None of the above is true.

Question 73

Identify a positron.

A) n
B) n
C) e
D) e
E) γ

Question 74

Determine the identity of the daughter nuclide from the positron emission of F.

A) Na
B) F
C) N
D) O
E) Ne

Question 75

Determine the identity of the daughter nuclide from the alpha decay of Th.

A) U
B) Pa
C) Ra
D) Ac
E) Th

Question 76

Determine the identity of the daughter nuclide from the electron capture by Cl.

A) Ar
B) K
C) S
D) P
E) Ar

Question 77

The following reaction represents what nuclear process? Am → He + Np

A) beta emission
B) alpha capture
C) alpha emission
D) electron capture
E) positron capture

Question 78

Describe what changes occur during electron capture.

A) The mass number and atomic number decrease.
B) The mass number and atomic number increase.
C) The mass number is unchanged and the atomic number decreases.
D) The mass number decreases and the atomic number is unchanged.
E) The mass number and atomic number do not change.

Question 79

The following reaction represents what nuclear process? Cs + e → Xe

A) beta capture
B) positron emission
C) gamma emission
D) electron capture
E) alpha capture

Question 80

Identify a beta particle.

A) e
B) n
C) e
D) n
E) γ