Deck 10: Nuclear Physics

Question 1

The mass number (A) of a nuclide is equal to the number of ______________ in one of its nuclei.

A) protons plus neutrons
B) protons
C) neutrons
D) neutrons plus electrons

Answer 1

A

Question 2

Who discovered the electron in 1897?

A) Ernest Rutherford
B) James Chadwick
C) J. J. Thomson
D) Niels Bohr

Answer 2

C

Question 3

The diameter of an average atom is about

A) 10^-7 m.
B) 10^-10 m.
C) 10^-5 m.
D) 10^-14 m.

Answer 3

B

Question 4

How many protons are there in an atom of ?

A) 92
B) 143
C) 235
D) None of these

Question 5

What is the symbol for the element whose atoms have 40 electrons each?

A) Ge
B) Zr
C) Ar
D) None of these

Question 6

How many electrons are there in a neutral atom of ?

A) 26
B) 30
C) 82
D) 56

Question 7

The diameter of an average nucleus is about

A) 10^-5 m.
B) 10^-7 m.
C) 10^-10 m.
D) 10^-14 m.

Question 8

What is the symbol for the element whose atoms have 3 protons each?

A) Mn
B) Li
C) Sr
D) Li
E) Cm

Question 9

How many neutrons are there in an atom of ?

A) 19
B) 20
C) 39
D) 58

Question 10

How many nucleons are there in an atom of ?

A) 92
B) 143
C) 235
D) None of these

Question 11

The various isotopes of an element all have

A) the same number of protons but different numbers of neutrons.
B) the same total number of neutrons and protons.
C) the same number of neutrons but different numbers of protons.
D) the same number of neutrons and the same number of protons.

Question 12

The atomic number (Z) of an element is equal to the number of ______________ in one of its atoms.

A) protons
B) neutrons
C) protons plus neutrons
D) neutrons plus electrons

Question 13

What is the symbol used on the periodic table for the element Rubidium?

A) Rf
B) Hs
C) Rb
D) No
E) U

Question 14

How many electrons are there in a neutral atom of ?

A) 26
B) 30
C) 82
D) 56

Question 15

How many protons does Tc have?

A) 93
B) 58
C) 48
D) 107
E) 43

Question 16

How many protons are there in an atom of ?

A) 12
B) 34
C) 23
D) 11

Question 17

Who discovered the atomic nucleus in 1911?

A) Marie and Pierre Curie
B) Henri Becquerel
C) Ernest Rutherford
D) Niels Bohr

Question 18

How many protons does Radon have?

A) 6
B) 101
C) 31
D) 103
E) 86

Question 19

How many neutrons are there in an atom of ?

A) 92
B) 143
C) 235
D) None of these

Question 20

What is the symbol for the element whose atoms have 92 protons each?

A) Nb
B) U
C) Zn
D) None of these

Question 21

When decays to , a(n) ______________ is emitted.

A) beta particle
B) deuteron
C) gamma ray
D) alpha particle

Question 22

When an unstable O nucleus undergoes beta decay, the nucleus formed is that of

A) Oxygen.
B) Neon.
C) Nitrogen.
D) Carbon.
E) Fluorine.

Question 23

When an unstable Cd nucleus undergoes gamma decay, the nucleus formed is that of

A) Cadmium.
B) Tin.
C) Silver.
D) Palladium.
E) Indium.

Question 24

The most important force between a proton and a neutron is the ______________ force.

A) strong nuclear
B) quark
C) electromagnetic
D) gravitational

Question 25

The average mass of the atoms of an element in naturally occurring samples is called the ______________ mass of the element.

A) atomic
B) average
C) relative
D) molecular

Question 26

When an unstable Arsenic nucleus undergoes alpha decay, the nucleus formed is that of

A) Arsenic.
B) Bromine.
C) Germanium.
D) Gallium.
E) Selenium.

Question 27

The strong nuclear force is

A) strongly repulsive for distances less than 10^-14 m and strongly attractive for larger distances.
B) zero for distances less than 10^-14 m and strongly attractive for larger distances.
C) strongly attractive for distances less than 10^-14 m and zero for larger distances.
D) strongly attractive for distances less than 10^-14 m and repulsive for larger distances.

Question 28

When decays to , a(n) _____________ is emitted.

A) alpha particle
B) neutron
C) gamma ray
D) beta particle

Question 29

When an unstable Co nucleus undergoes beta decay, the nucleus formed is that of

A) Co.
B) Cu.
C) Fe.
D) Mn.
E) Ni.

Question 30

When an unstable U nucleus undergoes alpha decay, the nucleus formed is that of

A) Uranium.
B) Plutonium.
C) Protactinium.
D) Thorium.
E) Neptunium.

Question 31

When an unstable Zr nucleus undergoes alpha decay, the nucleus formed is that of

A) Zr.
B) Mo.
C) Y.
D) Sr.
E) Nb.

Question 32

When an oxygen-19 nucleus undergoes beta decay, the nucleus formed is that of

A) nitrogen-18.
B) oxygen-18.
C) fluorine-19.
D) carbon-14.

Question 33

When an unstable W nucleus undergoes gamma decay, the nucleus formed is that of

A) W.
B) Os.
C) Ta.
D) Hf.
E) Re.

Question 34

When undergoes alpha decay, the daughter is

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

Question 35

The nucleus makes up about what percentage of the mass of an atom?

A) 99.9%
B) 50%
C) 90%
D) 5%

Question 36

When an unstable Nickel nucleus undergoes gamma decay, the nucleus formed is that of

A) Nickel.
B) Zinc.
C) Cobalt.
D) Iron.
E) Copper.

Question 37

When an unstable Lutetium nucleus undergoes beta decay, the nucleus formed is that of

A) Lutetium.
B) Tantalum.
C) Ytterbium.
D) Thulium.
E) Hafnium.

Question 38

Radioactive decay was discovered in 1896 by

A) Ernest Rutherford.
B) Niels Bohr.
C) Henri Becquerel.
D) Marie and Pierre Curie.

Question 39

Which type of atom is the standard on which the atomic mass scale is based?

A) ¹²C
B) ¹⁶O
C) ¹H
D) ⁵⁶Fe

Question 40

Which isotope of hydrogen is radioactive?

A) Protium
B) Tritium
C) Deuterium
D) Hydronium

Question 41

After seven half-lives have elapsed, what fraction of the original amount of radionuclide remains?

A) 1/7
B) 1/14
C) 1/128
D) None of these

Question 42

Which of the following nuclides would be stable?

A)
B)
C)
D)

Question 43

If the activity of a sample of ²³²Th decreases from 1000 cpm to 500 cpm in 60 min, in another 60 min its activity will be

A) 500 cpm.
B) 0 cpm.
C) 250 cpm.
D) 125 cpm.

Question 44

What happens to the atomic number (Z) and the mass number (A) when a nucleus emits a beta particle (electron)?

A) Z increases by 1; A is unchanged.
B) Z is unchanged; A is unchanged.
C) Z decreases by 2; A decreases by 4.
D) Z decreases by 1; A is unchanged.

Question 45

The half-life of ³H is 12 years. About how long does it take for 7/8 of a sample of that radionuclide to decay?

A) 3 years
B) 24 years
C) 4 years
D) 36 years

Question 46

With only two exceptions, if a nucleus contains fewer ______________ than ______________, it is unstable.

A) protons; neutrons
B) neutrons; protons
C) protons; alpha particles
D) protons; beta particles

Question 47

What happens to the atomic number (Z) and the mass number (A) when a nucleus emits an alpha particle?

A) Z increases by 1; A is unchanged.
B) Z is unchanged; A is unchanged.
C) Z decreases by 2; A decreases by 4.
D) Z decreases by 1; A is unchanged.

Question 48

What happens to the atomic number (Z) and the mass number (A) when a nucleus emits a gamma ray?

A) Z increases by 1; A is unchanged.
B) Z is unchanged; A is unchanged.
C) Z decreases by 1; A is unchanged.
D) Z decreases by 2; A decreases by 4.

Question 49

Who discovered radium?

A) Marie and Pierre Curie
B) Ernest Rutherford
C) Henri Becquerel
D) Niels Bohr

Question 50

When undergoes beta decay, the daughter is

A) .
B) .
C) .
D) none of these.

Question 51

Which two isotopes of bromine would you predict to be stable?

A) and
B) and
C) and
D) and

Question 52

Which of the following nuclides would be radioactive?

A)
B)
C)
D)

Question 53

When the number of protons in a nucleus exceeds ______________, the nucleus is unstable.

A) 65
B) 56
C) 83
D) 103

Question 54

After two half-lives have gone by, what fraction of the original sample of a radionuclide remains?

A) 1/8
B) 1/4
C) 1/3
D) None of these

Question 55

After three half-lives have elapsed, what fraction of the original amount of radionuclide remains?

A) 1/3
B) 1/4
C) 1/8
D) None of these

Question 56

After seven half-lives have elapsed, what fraction of the original amount has changed into another element?

A) 6/7
B) 13/14
C) 127/128
D) None of these

Question 57

Radioactivity was discovered in

A) Berlin.
B) Berkeley.
C) Paris.
D) Cambridge.

Question 58

No radionuclides decay by emitting

A) protons.
B) alpha particles.
C) electrons.
D) gamma rays.

Question 59

The half-life of ³H is 12 years. About how long does it take for 127/128 of a sample of that radionuclide to decay?

A) 7 years
B) 11.9 years
C) 12.1 years
D) 84 years

Question 60

Most stable types of nuclei have an ______________ number of protons and an ______________ number of neutrons.

A) even; odd
B) odd; odd
C) odd; even
D) even; even

Question 61

Plutonium-239 and uranium-235 undergo fission when bombarded by

A) protons.
B) neutrons.
C) alpha particles.
D) electrons.

Question 62

The fission of ²³⁵U nuclei is initiated by

A) electrons.
B) protons.
C) alpha particles.
D) neutrons.

Question 63

Which of the following instruments detects and measures radioactivity?

A) Geiger counter
B) Cyclotron
C) Tokamak
D) Mass spectrometer

Question 64

When a neutron hits a nucleus, one of the two products is an alpha particle. The other product is

A)
B)
C)
D)
E) none of these.

Question 65

The primary function of a moderator in a nuclear reactor is to

A) absorb neutrons.
B) cool the fuel rods.
C) slow down neutrons.
D) transfer heat.

Question 66

Which of the following is a transuranium element?

A) Am
B) Pa
C) Ra
D) Tc

Question 67

Which of the following is a transuranium element?

A) Tc
B) Pu
C) Tm
D) Pm

Question 68

Artificial transmutations are generally achieved using

A) Geiger counters.
B) particle accelerators.
C) tokamaks.
D) mass spectrometers.

Question 69

The analytical procedure that bombards a sample with neutrons and measures the frequency of gamma rays emitted is called

A) the alpha scattering technique.
B) carbon dating.
C) neutron activation analysis.
D) Geiger counting.

Question 70

Breeder reactors

A) produce plutonium from ²³⁸U.
B) use ²³⁸U as a fuel.
C) produce ²³⁵U from ²³⁸U.
D) produce ²³⁸U from ²³⁵U.

Question 71

An electron is symbolized by

A)
B)
C)
D)

Question 72

The smallest amount of a fissionable material that will give a self-sustaining chain reaction is called the

A) mass defect.
B) mass number.
C) atomic mass.
D) critical mass.

Question 73

An amount of fissionable material that will not sustain a chain reaction is called

A) a subatomic mass.
B) a subisotopic mass.
C) a subcritical mass.
D) none of these.

Question 74

The half-life of ²⁰F is 11 s. What fraction of a sample of ²⁰F will remain after 99 s have elapsed?

A) 1/10
B) 1/9
C) 1/400
D) 1/512
E) None of these

Question 75

The process of obtaining energy by splitting a large nucleus is called

A) nucleogenesis.
B) fusion.
C) bombardment.
D) fission.

Question 76

The half-life of ²⁰F is 11 s. What fraction of a sample of ²⁰F will remain after 44 s have elapsed?

A) 1/4
B) 1/16
C) 1/8
D) None of these

Question 77

Neutrons are good "projectiles" for inducing nuclear reactions because they

A) have no electric charge.
B) are themselves unstable.
C) are highly energetic.
D) have no mass.

Question 78

When an alpha particle hits a nucleus, one of the products is a proton. The other product is

A)
B)
C)
D) none of these.

Question 79

A positron is symbolized by

A)
B)
C)
D)

Question 80

If the bombardment of a nucleus with an alpha particle produces a deuteron, the other product is

A)
B)
C)
D) none of these.