Deck 15: Nuclear Chemistry

Question 1

Which of the following statements regarding nuclear chemistry is correct?

A)Atoms with the same mass number but different atomic numbers are called isotopes.
B)All isotopes are radioactive.
C)Radioactive decay always results in the emission of an alpha particle.
D)Radioactive decay processes result in a change in the nucleus of the isotope undergoing reaction.
E)A nuclear particle (a proton or neutron) is called a nuclide.

Answer 1

Radioactive decay processes result in a change in the nucleus of the isotope undergoing reaction.

Question 2

Which of the following statements regarding nuclear chemistry is correct?

A)In the lighter elements that are stable, the neutron to proton ratio is about 2.
B)Nuclides inside the band of stability are radioactive.
C)A positron is a particle that is similar to an electron, except that it has a positive charge.
D)A beta particle is a particle that has less penetrating ability than an alpha particle.
E)An alpha particle is equivalent to the nucleus of a hydrogen atom.

Answer 2

A positron is a particle that is similar to an electron, except that it has a positive charge.

Question 3

Which of the following processes results in the conversion of a neutron to a proton within a nucleus?

A)alpha particle emission
B)beta ( ) particle emission
C)positron emission
D)neutron emission
E)proton emission

Answer 3

beta ( ) particle emission

Question 4

Alpha particles are equivalent to:

A)He atoms.
B)H atoms.
C)electrons.
D)positrons
E)He nuclei.

Question 5

An alpha particle has a mass number of _____ and a charge of _____.

A)1, 2+
B)2, 0
C)4, 2+
D)4, 0

Question 6

Which of the following forms of radiation is most penetrating?

A)alpha
B)beta
C)gamma
D)positron
E)proton

Question 7

Gamma rays are:

A)high-energy electromagnetic radiation.
B)H nuclei.
C)electrons.
D)He nuclei.
E)positrons.

Question 8

Which of the following forms of radiation has no mass?

A)alpha
B)beta
C)gamma
D)positron
E)proton

Question 9

Which process decreases the atomic number of an element by one?

A)both beta particle emission and electron capture
B)alpha particle emission
C)beta particle emission
D)positron emission
E)gamma ray emission

Question 10

Rank the following in order of increasing penetrating ability: alpha particles, beta particles, gamma rays.

A)alpha particles < beta particles < gamma rays
B)alpha particles < gamma rays < beta particles
C)gamma rays < beta particles < alpha particles
D)beta particles < alpha particles < gamma rays
E)beta particles < gamma rays < alpha particles

Question 11

Which process decreases the atomic number of an element by two?

A)alpha particle emission
B)beta particle emission
C)positron emission
D)gamma ray emission
E)none of these

Question 12

Beta particles are equivalent to:

A)He nuclei.
B)H atoms.
C)electrons only.
D)positrons only.
E)either electrons or positrons.

Question 13

Which of the following changes occur to the nucleus when a heavy element undergoes alpha particle emission?

A)Only the number of neutrons decreases.
B)Only the number of protons decreases.
C)Only the number of neutrons increases.
D)Only the number of protons increases.
E)Both the number of neutrons and protons decreases.

Question 14

Which of the following is a form of radiation composed of negatively charged particles?

A)alpha
B)beta
C)gamma
D)positron
E)proton

Question 15

Which of the following statements regarding nuclear chemistry is correct?

A)Most of the known nuclides are stable.
B)There is no clear relationship between the stability of a radioactive nuclide and the combination of neutron and proton numbers in the nucleus.
C)A nuclide is an atom with a specific atomic number, mass number, and neutron number.
D)Nucleon is the term used to describe either a proton or an electron.
E)Each element has only one isotope.

Question 16

Which process increases the atomic number of an element by one?

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

Question 17

Which of the following forms of radiation is least penetrating?

A)alpha
B)beta
C)gamma
D)positron
E)proton

Question 18

Which of the following processes results in the conversion of a proton to a neutron within a nucleus?

A)alpha particle emission
B)beta ( ) particle emission
C)positron emission
D)neutron emission
E)proton emission

Question 19

A beta particle has a mass number of _____ and a charge of _____.

A)1, 0
B)0, 0
C)0, 1- or 1+
D)1, 1+
E)1, 1-

Question 20

A gamma ray has a mass number of _____ and a charge of _____.

A)1, 0
B)1, 1+
C)-1, 1-
D)0, 0
E)0, 1+

Question 21

Bombardment of boron-10 with a projectile particle produces a nitrogen-14 atom and a gamma ray.What is the projectile particle?

A)an alpha particle
B)a beta particle (electron)
C)a positron
D)a gamma ray
E)a neutron

Question 22

Uranium-234 decays by alpha emission to form a new nuclide.Identify the new nuclide.

A)neptunium-234
B)protactinium-234
C)thorium-230
D)thorium-234
E)uranium-235

Question 23

Predict the type of radiation that should be emitted when oxygen-18 undergoes radioactive decay.

A)beta particle ( )emission
B)alpha particle emission
C)positron emission
D)neutron emission
E)proton emission

Question 24

Uranium-238 decays by alpha emission to form a new nuclide.Identify the new nuclide.

A)neptunium-238
B)protactinium-238
C)thorium-234
D)thorium-238
E)uranium-235

Question 25

Radon-222 decays by alpha emission to form a new nuclide.Identify the new nuclide.

A)francium-222
B)francium-223
C)polonium-222
D)polonium-218
E)bismuth-220

Question 26

The neutron was discovered in 1932 by James Chadwick, when he bombarded beryllium-9 with an alpha particle.The products were a neutron and another nuclide.What is the other nuclide?

A)boron-12
B)lithium-8
C)carbon-13
D)carbon-12
E)boron-13

Question 27

Identify the particle emitted by the nucleus that undergoes the transformation shown in the figure.

A)an alpha particle
B)a beta particle (electron)
C)a positron
D)a gamma ray
E)a neutron

Question 28

Carbon-14 decays by beta emission to form a new nuclide.Identify the new nuclide.

A)nitrogen-14
B)nitrogen-13
C)carbon-12
D)carbon-13
E)beryllium-10

Question 29

Select the most stable isotope from the following choices.

A)
B)
C)
D)
E)

Question 30

Predict the type of radiation that should be emitted when oxygen-14 undergoes radioactive decay.

A)beta particle ( ) emission
B)positron emission
C)alpha particle emission
D)proton emission
E)neutron emission

Question 31

The first transmutation of an element was performed in 1919 by Ernest Rutherford when he bombarded nitrogen-14 with an alpha particle.The products were a proton, and another nuclide.What is the other nuclide?

A)nitrogen-18
B)nitrogen-17
C)fluorine-17
D)oxygen-17
E)oxygen-16

Question 32

Bombardment of cobalt-59 with a neutron produces a manganese-56 atom and another particle.What is this particle?

A)an alpha particle
B)a beta particle (electron)
C)a positron
D)a gamma ray
E)a neutron

Question 33

Thorium-234 decays by alpha emission to form a new nuclide.Identify the new nuclide.

A)radium-228
B)radium-230
C)protactinium-234
D)protactinium-230
E)thorium-232

Question 34

Select the most stable isotope from the following choices.

A)
B)
C)
D)
E)

Question 35

Potassium-40 decays by beta emission to form a new nuclide.Identify the new nuclide.

A)argon-40
B)chlorine-36
C)calcium-40
D)calcium-39
E)phosphorus-38

Question 36

Thorium-234 decays by beta emission to form a new nuclide.Identify the new nuclide.

A)actinium-234
B)protactinium-231
C)protactinium-234
D)radium-230
E)radon-230

Question 37

Predict the type of radiation emitted when boron-8 decays spontaneously.

A)alpha particle emission
B)beta ( ) particle emission
C)positron emission
D)neutron emission
E)proton emission

Question 38

Bombardment of boron-10 with a neutron produces a hydrogen-1 atom and another nuclide.What is this nuclide?

A)beryllium-10
B)boron-11
C)boron-9
D)carbon-12
E)beryllium-9

Question 39

Identify the particle emitted by the nucleus that undergoes the transformation shown in the figure.

A)an alpha particle
B)a beta particle (electron)
C)a positron
D)a gamma ray
E)a neutron

Question 40

Protactinium-234 decays by beta emission to form a new nuclide.Identify the new nuclide.

A)thorium-234
B)uranium-234
C)actinium-230
D)francium-232
E)thorium-233

Question 41

What type of radioactive decay would be expected for the unstable nuclide ?

A)alpha particle emission
B)beta particle (electron) emission
C)positron emission
D)gamma ray emission
E)neutron emission

Question 42

Carbon-14 has a half-life of 5730 yr.A living organism has an activity of 15.2 counts per minute (cpm) per gram of carbon.If a bone is determined to have an activity of 1.90 cpm per gram of carbon, how old is the bone?

A)5730 yr
B)17,200 yr
C)22,900 yr
D)8600 yr
E)11,500 yr

Question 43

Carbon-11 radioactively decays by positron emission with a half-life of 20.4 minutes.If a dosage of carbon-11 is administered to a patient for a PET scan, what percentage of carbon-11 will remain in the patient's system after 81.6 min?

A)75.0%
B)12.5%
C)87.5%
D)25.0%
E)6.25%

Question 44

What type of radioactive decay would be expected for the unstable nuclide ?

A)alpha particle emission
B)beta particle (electron) emission
C)positron emission
D)gamma ray emission
E)neutron emission

Question 45

The half-life of technetium-99 is 6.0 hours.How much of a 25.0 mg sample will remain after 24 hours?

A)25.0 mg
B)12.5 mg
C)6.25 mg
D)3.12 mg
E)1.56 mg

Question 46

Phosphorus-32 has a half-life of 14 days.What fraction of a sample of this isotope will remain after 6 weeks?

A)1/2
B)1/4
C)1/3
D)1/8
E)1/16

Question 47

The half-life of technetium-99 is 6.0 hours.How much of a 50.0 mg sample will remain after 24 hours?

A)25.0 mg
B)12.5 mg
C)6.25 mg
D)3.12 mg
E)none of the sample will remain

Question 48

Strontium-90 has a half-life of 28 years.How long will it take for 75% of the isotope to decay?

A)28 years
B)14 years
C)42 years
D)56 years
E)84 years

Question 49

Carbon-14 has a half-life of 5730 yr.A living organism has an activity of 15.2 counts per minute (cpm) per gram of carbon.If a bone is determined to have an activity of 3.80 cpm per gram of carbon, how old is the bone?

A)5730 yr
B)17,200 yr
C)22,900 yr
D)8600 yr
E)11,500 yr

Question 50

The half-life of iodine-123 is 13.3 hours.How much of a 25.0 mg sample will remain after 39.9 hours?

A)25.0 mg
B)12.5 mg
C)6.25 mg
D)3.12 mg
E)1.56 mg

Question 51

What type of radioactive decay would be expected for the unstable nuclide ?

A)alpha particle emission
B)beta particle (electron) emission
C)positron emission
D)gamma ray emission
E)neutron emission

Question 52

What type of radioactive decay would be expected for the unstable nuclide ?

A)alpha particle emission
B)beta particle (electron) emission
C)positron emission
D)gamma ray emission
E)neutron emission

Question 53

Iridium-192 has a half-life of 74 days.How long will it take for 75% of the isotope to decay?

A)74 days
B)111 days
C)37 days
D)185 days
E)148 days

Question 54

What type of radioactive decay would be expected for the unstable nuclide ?

A)alpha particle emission
B)beta particle (electron) emission
C)positron emission
D)gamma ray emission
E)neutron emission

Question 55

The half-life of iodine-131 is 8.1 days.How much of a 45.0 mg sample will remain after 24.3 days?

A)2.81 mg
B)5.62 mg
C)11.2 mg
D)22.5 mg
E)45.0 mg

Question 56

Iridium-192 has a half-life of 74 days.What fraction of a sample of this isotope will remain after 222 days?

A)1/2
B)1/4
C)1/3
D)1/8
E)1/16

Question 57

Select the most stable isotope from the following choices.

A)
B)
C)
D)
E)

Question 58

The half-life of iodine-123 is 13.3 hours.How much of a 50.0 mg sample will remain after 39.9 hours?

A)50.0 mg
B)25.0 mg
C)12.5 mg
D)6.25 mg
E)3.12 mg

Question 59

The half-life of iodine-131 is 8.1 days.How much of a 75.0 mg sample will remain after 24.3 days?

A)75.0 mg
B)37.5 mg
C)18.8 mg
D)9.38 mg
E)4.68 mg

Question 60

Carbon-11 radioactively decays by positron emission with a half-life of 20.4 minutes.If a dosage of carbon-11 is administered to a patient for a PET scan, what percentage of carbon-11 will remain in the patient's system after 61.2 min?

A)75.0%
B)12.5%
C)87.5%
D)25.0%
E)50.0%

Question 61

What product is formed when undergoes 6 alpha emissions and 3 beta emissions in a total of nine steps?

A)lead-223
B)mercury-223
C)mercury-226
D)bismuth-214
E)lead-214

Question 62

What is product of the first step of radioactive decay when decays by alpha emission?

A)
B)
C)
D)
E)

Question 63

What product is formed when undergoes 2 alpha emissions and 2 beta emissions in a total of four steps?

A)actinium-227
B)thorium-227
C)thorium-231
D)polonium-231
E)radon-227

Question 64

What product is formed when undergoes 5 alpha emissions and 2 beta emissions in a total of seven steps?

A)mercury-214
B)polonium-214
C)polonium-224
D)mercury-204
E)plutonium-239

Question 65

Alpha particles are the least harmful type of radiation upon external exposure of animal tissues.

Question 66

Which of the following isotopes would be the best choice for use with PET?

A)
B)
C)
D)
E)

Question 67

The amount of time that it takes for half of a radioactive sample to decay is called half-time.

Question 68

Which of the following statements is incorrect?

A)Pacemakers for heart patients are powered by a plutonium-238 power device.
B)Iodine-131 is used for diagnosing thyroid tumors since iodine is preferentially absorbed by the thyroid gland.
C)Metastable technetium-99 is used for medical diagnosis because it is absorbed by tumor cells, but not normal brain cells.
D)Carbon-14 is used for PET imaging due to its long half-life and stability.
E)Gamma radiation from cobalt-60 is used to treat cancer patients.

Question 69

The figure shows an example of:

A)a fusion reaction.
B)beta-particle emission.
C)a fission reaction.
D)an electron capture reaction.
E)alpha-particle emission.

Question 70

Which of the following statements regarding nuclear stability is incorrect?

A)The N/Z ratio is about 1 for the first 20 elements.
B)The N/Z ratio is about 1.6 for elements at the upper end of the band of stability.
C)An N/Z ratio of 1 means that an element has an equal number of protons and electrons.
D)Elements outside the band of stability are radioactive.
E)All isotopes with Z greater than 83 are radioactive.

Question 71

Which of the following statements regarding the possible effects of radiation on a cell is incorrect?

A)Radiation can pass through a cell with no damage.
B)Radiation can damage a cell, but it is possible for the cell to repair the damage.
C)Radiation may damage a cell so severely that it cannot repair itself.
D)A damaged cell may mutate, and cause cancer.
E)The degree of damage does not depend on the ionizing ability of the radiation.

Question 72

Why is radon gas dangerous?

A)It reacts chemically with lung tissue.
B)It emits gamma rays.
C)It undergoes fusion reactions, producing lots of energy.
D)It undergoes fission reactions at a very high rate.
E)Its decay products are radioactive solids that can attach to lung tissue and cause cell damage upon decay.

Question 73

What product is formed when undergoes 2 alpha emissions and 2 beta emissions in a total of four steps?

A)lead-234
B)radon-234
C)thorium-230
D)radon-232
E)radon-228

Question 74

When bombarded by a neutron, uranium-235 undergoes fission.If the nuclides produced are barium-141 and krypton-92, how many neutrons are emitted?

A)none
B)1
C)2
D)3
E)4

Question 75

When bombarded by a neutron, uranium-235 undergoes fission.If the nuclides produced are xenon-139 and strontium-95, how many neutrons are emitted?

A)none
B)1
C)2
D)3
E)4

Question 76

Gamma radiation is the most penetrating type of radiation.

Question 77

The critical mass is the amount of fissionable material necessary to support a continuing chain reaction.

Question 78

Which of the following statements regarding nuclear stability is incorrect?

A)Isotopes with excess mass tend to undergo alpha decay.
B)Isotopes with an N/Z ratio that is too high tend to undergo beta decay.
C)Isotopes with an N/Z ratio that is too low tend to undergo either positron emission or electron capture.
D)Electron capture is the most common mode of decay for smaller isotopes.
E)An energetically excited nucleus can undergo gamma emission.

Question 79

Two half-lives is the length of time required for a sample of a radioactive material to decay completely.

Question 80

What kind of isotope is used for PET scans?

A)proton absorbers
B)neutron emitters
C)positron emitters
D)beta emitters
E)neutron absorbers