Deck 9: Nuclear Chemistry

Question 1

Which of the following Greek letters is not commonly applied to a form of radioactivity?

A) α
B)
C)
D)

Answer 1

D

Question 2

Which of the following forms of radiation is the least penetrating?

A) α
B)
C)
D) positron

Answer 2

A

Question 3

Which of the following is the speed of light?

A) 3.0 × 10⁸ cm/sec
B) 3.0 × 10⁸ m/sec
C) 3.0 × 10⁸ mi/sec
D) 3.0 × 10⁸ mi/hour

Answer 3

B

Question 4

Which of the following forms of radiation consists of negatively charged particles?

A) α
B)
C)
D) none of these

Question 5

Which of the following forms of radiation is the most penetrating?

A) α
B)
C)
D) positron

Question 6

Which of the following gives the correct order for the energies of portions of the electromagnetic spectrum?

A) radio > infrared > ultraviolet
B) radio > ultraviolet > infrared
C) ultraviolet > infrared > radio
D) ultraviolet > radio > infrared

Question 7

Which of the following forms of radiation is electrically neutral?

A) α
B)
C)
D) none of these

Question 8

Which of the following forms of radiation involves the heaviest particles?

A) α
B)
C)
D) positron

Question 9

Which of the following forms of radiation is a form of electromagnetic radiation?

A) α
B)
C)
D) all of these

Question 10

Which of the following is the relationship between the wavelength, λ, and frequency, v, of electromagnetic radiation?

A) λ = cν
B) λ = c/ν
C) λ = ν/c
D) λ = 1/cν

Question 11

Which of the following forms of radiation consists of hydrogen nuclei?

A) α
B)
C)
D) none of these

Question 12

Which of the following scientists is not closely associated with early studies of radioactivity?

A) H. Becquerel
B) M. Curie
C) A. Einstein
D) E. Rutherford

Question 13

Which of the following was Becquerel studying when he accidentally discovered radioactivity?

A) fluorescence
B) phosphorescence
C) photography
D) the photoelectric effect

Question 14

Which of the following forms of radiation consists of positively charged particles?

A) α
B)
C)
D) none of these

Question 15

Radioactivity was first discovered in salts of which of the following elements?

A) sodium
B) radium
C) radon
D) uranium

Question 16

Which of the following gives the correct order for the frequencies of portions of the electromagnetic spectrum?

A) radio > infrared > ultraviolet
B) radio > ultraviolet > infrared
C) ultraviolet > infrared > radio
D) ultraviolet > radio > infrared

Question 17

Which of the following is the relationship between the wavelength, λ, and frequency, ν, of electromagnetic radiation?

A) ν =cλ
B) ν =λ/c
C) ν =c/λ
D) ν =1/cλ

Question 18

Which of the following scientists discovered X-rays?

A) H. Becquerel
B) M. Curie
C) A. Einstein
D) W. Roentgen

Question 19

Which of the following scientists discovered radioactivity?

A) H. Becquerel
B) M. Curie
C) A. Einstein
D) E. Rutherford

Question 20

Which of the following forms of radiation is identical to the nucleus of a helium atom?

A) α
B)
C)
D) positron

Question 21

What happens to the atomic number of an element when an α particle is emitted?

A) increases
B) decreases
C) remains constant

Question 22

Which of the following statements is true?

A) In heavy atoms there are generally many more protons than neutrons.
B) In heavy atoms there are generally many more neutrons than protons.
C) In heavy atoms the number of protons and neutrons are nearly equal.
D) Most heavy atoms do not exist in a number of isotopic forms.

Question 23

Which of the following statements is true of electromagnetic radiation?

A) All electromagnetic radiation has the same energy.
B) As the wavelength of the radiation increases, the energy of the radiation decreases.
C) As the wavelength of the radiation increases, the energy of the radiation increases.
D) There is no specific relationship between wavelength and energy.

Question 24

Which of the following is the name given to a packet of electromagnetic radiation?

A) phonon
B) phonton
C) phason
D) photon

Question 25

Potassium-40 is a β emitter. What isotope is formed when ⁴⁰K emits a β particle?

A) ³⁶Cl
B) ⁴⁰Ar
C) ⁴⁰Ca
D) ⁴⁴Ca

Question 26

Which of the following gives the correct order for the wavelengths of portions of the electromagnetic spectrum?

A) radio > infrared > ultraviolet
B) radio > ultraviolet > infrared
C) ultraviolet > infrared > radio
D) ultraviolet > radio > infrared

Question 27

Transmutation is caused by which of the following radioactive processes?

A) β emission
B) γ emission
C) both a and b
D) neither a nor b

Question 28

Carbon-14 is a β emitter. What isotope is formed when ¹⁴C emits a β particle?

A) ¹⁴B
B) ¹⁴N
C) ¹⁴O
D) ¹⁶O

Question 29

Which of the following statements is true?

A) In light atoms there are generally many more protons than neutrons.
B) In light atoms there are generally many more neutrons than protons.
C) In light atoms the number of protons and neutrons are nearly equal.
D) Most naturally occurring isotopes of light atoms are radioactive.

Question 30

Which isotope of hydrogen is radioactive?

A) ¹H
B) ²H
C) ³H
D) none of these

Question 31

What happens to the mass number of an element produced when an α particle is emitted?

A) increases
B) decreases
C) remains constant

Question 32

Which of the following radioactive processes does not result in transmutation?

A) α emission
B) β emission
C) γ emission
D) all of the above

Question 33

Which of the following statements is true of electromagnetic radiation?

A) All electromagnetic radiation has the same energy.
B) As the frequency of the radiation increases, the energy of the radiation decreases.
C) As the frequency of the radiation increases, the energy of the radiation increases.
D) There is no specific relationship between frequency and energy.

Question 34

Approximately how many stable isotopes have been identified?

A) 92
B) 118
C) 264
D) more than 300

Question 35

With which part of the atom is radioactivity associated?

A) the core electrons
B) the entire atom
C) the nucleus
D) the valence electrons

Question 36

How many artificial radioisotopes have been synthesized in the laboratory?

A) 26
B) 92
C) approximately 500
D) more than 1000

Question 37

Transmutation is caused by which of the following radioactive processes?

A) α emission
B) γ emission
C) both a and b
D) neither a nor b

Question 38

Which of the following statements is true of artificially created isotopes?

A) All artificially created isotopes are stable.
B) All artificially created isotopes are unstable.
C) Most artificially created isotopes are stable.
D) Most artificially created isotopes are unstable.

Question 39

Transmutation is caused by which of the following radioactive processes?

A) α emission
B) β emission
C) both a and b
D) neither a nor b

Question 40

How many naturally occurring isotopes have been identified?

A) 92
B) 118
C) fewer than 300
D) more than 300

Question 41

Which isotope of oxygen is most likely to be a positron emitter?

A) ¹⁵O
B) ¹⁶O
C) ¹⁷O
D) ¹⁹O

Question 42

Thorium-223 is an α emitter. What isotope is formed when ²²³Th emits an α particle?

A) ²²¹Fr
B) ²²³Pa
C) ²¹⁹Po
D) ²¹⁹Ra

Question 43

Thallium-201 decays by electron capture. What isotope is formed when ²⁰¹Tl decays in this way?

A) ²⁰¹Au
B) ²⁰¹Hg
C) ²⁰¹Pb
D) ²⁰⁰Tl

Question 44

Which isotope of phosphorous is most likely to be a positron emitter?

A) ²⁹P
B) ³⁰P
C) ³¹P
D) ³²P

Question 45

Chromium-51 decays by electron capture. What isotope is formed when ⁵¹Cr decays in this way?

A) ⁵⁰Cr
B) ⁵²Cr
C) ⁵¹Mn
D) ⁵¹V

Question 46

What is the mass number of the element produced when an element with mass number A emits a positron?

A) A ^__ 2
B) A ^__ 1
C) A
D) A + 1

Question 47

Cobalt-60 is a γ emitter. What isotope is formed when ⁶⁰Co emits γ radiation?

A) ⁶⁰Mn
B) ⁶⁰Fe
C) ⁶⁰Co
D) ⁶⁰Ni

Question 48

Which type of radioactive particles has the longest half-life?

A) α emitters
B) β emitters
C) γ emitters
D) There is no relationship between half-life and the type of radiation.

Question 49

Which of the following affects the half-life of a radioactive sample?

A) the age of sample
B) the size of the sample
C) the temperature of the sample
D) none of these

Question 50

What is the mass number of the element produced when an element with mass number A emits an α particle?

A) A ^__ 4
B) A ^__ 2
C) A
D) A + 2

Question 51

Polonium-210 is an α emitter. What isotope is formed when ²¹⁰Po emits an α particle?

A) ²¹⁰At
B) ²⁰⁶Pb
C) ²⁰⁶Rn
D) ²⁰⁸Xe

Question 52

What is the atomic number of the element produced when an element with atomic number Z emits an α particle?

A) Z ^__ 2
B) Z ^__ 1
C) Z + 1
D) Z + 2

Question 53

What is the atomic number of the element produced when an element with atomic number Z undergoes electron capture?

A) Z ^__ 2
B) Z ^__ 1
C) Z + 1
D) Z + 2

Question 54

Which isotope of oxygen is most likely to be a β emitter?

A) ¹⁵O
B) ¹⁶O
C) ¹⁷O
D) ¹⁹O

Question 55

Beryllium-7 decays by electron capture. What isotope is formed when ⁷Be decays in this way?

A) ⁷B
B) ⁶Be
C) ⁸Be
D) ⁷Li

Question 56

Which isotope of phosphorous is most likely to be a β emitter?

A) ²⁹P
B) ³⁰P
C) ³¹P
D) ³²P

Question 57

Tritium, ³H, is a β emitter. What isotope is formed when ³H emits a β particle?

A) ¹H
B) ²H
C) ³He
D) ⁴He

Question 58

What is the atomic number of the element produced when an element with atomic number Z emits a positron?

A) Z ^__ 2
B) Z ^__ 1
C) Z + 1
D) Z + 2

Question 59

Arsenic-74 is a positron emitter. What isotope is formed when ⁷⁴As emits a positron?

A) ⁷⁵Br
B) ⁷⁰Ga
C) ⁷⁴Ge
D) ⁷⁴Se

Question 60

Mercury-197 is a γ emitter. What isotope is formed when ¹⁹⁷Hg emits γ radiation?

A) ¹⁹⁷Au
B) ¹⁹⁷Hg
C) ¹⁹⁷Tl
D) ¹⁹⁷Pb

Question 61

Radiation detectors use which of the following properties to detect radioactivity?

A) charge
B) ionizing ability
C) mass
D) all of these

Question 62

The half-life of I-131 is 8.0 days. If a medical treatment involves a dose of 100. mg of I-131, how much of the isotope remains after 16 days?

A) 12.5 mg
B) 25.0 mg
C) 50.0 mg
D) 75.0 mg

Question 63

What kinds of ions are produced by ionizing radiation?

A) only positively charged ions
B) only negatively charged ions
C) both positively charged and negatively ions
D) The type of ions produced depend on the type of ionizing radiation.

Question 64

Which of the following correctly relates the becquerel to the curie?

A) 3.7 × 10¹⁰ Bq = 1 Ci
B) 3.7 × 10⁷ Bq = 1 Ci
C) 2.7 × 10^-8 Bq = 1 Ci
D) 2.7 × 10^-11 Bq = 1 Ci

Question 65

Which of our senses can we use to detect nuclear radiation?

A) hearing
B) sight
C) taste
D) none

Question 66

What percentage of a radioactive sample remains after 4 half-lives?

A) 25.0%
B) 12.5%
C) 6.25%
D) 3.13%

Question 67

Krypton-85 has a half-life of 10 years. Approximately what percentage of Kr-85 produced from nuclear testing in 1956 still remains radioactive today?

A) 25%
B) 12%
C) 6%
D) 3%

Question 68

Different isotopes are useful in different dating processes. Suppose we wished to determine the age of an object which we suspect to be approximately 10,000 years old. An isotope with which of the following half-lives would be most appropriate for this project?

A) 50 years
B) 500 years
C) 5,000 years
D) 50,000 years

Question 69

mg
C) 50.0 mg
D) 25.0 mg

Question 70

In which of the following radiation detectors is a phosphor used?

A) a Geiger-Müller counter
B) a proportional counter
C) a scintillation counter
D) all of these

Question 71

Isotopes with which of the following half-lives are most useful in medical therapy?

A) seconds to minutes
B) minutes to hours
C) hours to days
D) days to years

Question 72

Barium-122 has a half-life of 2 minutes. If 10.0 g of Ba-122 are produced in a nuclear reactor how much Ba-122 will remain 10 minutes after production ceases?

A) 2.50 g
B) 1.25 g
C) 0.625 g
D) 0.313 g

Question 73

Which of the following is the SI unit of radiation activity?

A) the becquerel
B) the curie
C) the millicurie
D) the roentgen

Question 74

Ionizing radiation is characterized by which of the following?

A) its energy
B) its intensity
C) both a and b
D) neither a nor b

Question 75

Which of the following isotopes can be used by geologists to date rocks?

A) C-14
B) I-131
C) Sr-90
D) U-238

Question 76

Krypton-85 has a half-life of 10 years. Approximately what percentage of Kr-85 produced from the Chernobyl accident in 1986 still remains radioactive in 2010?

A) 25%
B) 12%
C) 6%
D) 3%

Question 77

Strontium-90 is a dangerous isotope because strontium is chemically similar to calcium and is easily incorporated into bone. Sr-90 has a half-life 28.1 years. If a person ingests 100. mg of Sr-90 how much will be left in the person's body after 56.2 years?

A) 75.0 mg
B) 50.0 mg
C) 25.0 mg
D) 12.5 mg

Question 78

In which of the following radiation detectors is a gas ionized?

A) a Geiger-Müller counter
B) a scintillation counter
C) both a and b
D) neither a nor b

Question 79

Different isotopes are useful in different dating processes. Suppose we wished to determine the age of an object which we suspect to be approximately 100 years old. An isotope with which of the following half-lives would be most appropriate for this project?

A) 5 years
B) 50 years
C) 500 years
D) 5,000 years

Question 80

What percentage of a radioactive sample remains after 5 half-lives?

A) 6.25%
B) 3.13%
C) 1.56%
D) 0.781%