Deck 19: Radioactivity and Nuclear Chemistry

Question 1

Describe what changes occur in the atomic nucleus 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 is unchanged and the atomic number increases.
E) The mass number and atomic number do not change.

Answer 1

The mass number is unchanged and the atomic number decreases.

Question 2

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

A) Po
B) Ra
C) Th
D) Rn
E) At

Answer 2

Po

Question 3

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

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

Answer 3

Ra

Question 4

Identify the radioactive green light that glows in the dark.

A) phenolphthalein
B) radioactivity
C) phosphorescence
D) gamma radiation
E) neon

Question 5

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

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

Question 6

Describe what changes occur in the atomic nucleus 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 is unchanged and the atomic number increases.
E) The mass number and atomic number do not change.

Question 7

Which radiation has the highest penetrating power?

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

Question 8

Which of the following statements is TRUE?

A) Positrons are similar in ionizing power and penetrating power to alpha particles.
B) A positron is the antiparticle of the protons.
C) Alpha particles are the heaviest particles of radioactive decay and as such have the highest penetrating power.
D) An alpha particle is a helium 2+ ion.
E) A simultaneous emission of alpha and beta rays is called gamma radiation.

Question 9

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

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

Question 10

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 11

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 → He + Pu

Question 12

Write the nuclear equation for the beta decay of Th.

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

Question 13

Describe what changes occur in the atomic nucleus during beta decay.

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 is unchanged and the atomic number increases.
E) The mass number and atomic number do not change.

Question 14

Describe what changes occur in the atomic nucleus 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 is unchanged and the atomic number increases.
E) The mass number and atomic number do not change.

Question 15

Describe what changes occur in the atomic nucleus during alpha decay.

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 is unchanged and the atomic number increases.
E) The mass number and atomic number do not change.

Question 16

Which of the following statements is TRUE?

A) Gamma rays have the lowest ionizing power of any radioactivity.
B) Alpha radiation has the highest penetrating 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) Gamma radiation has the lowest penetrating power.

Question 17

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

A) Fr
B) Ac
C) Po
D) Th
E) Rn

Question 18

Which particle has the lowest penetrating power?

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

Question 19

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

Question 20

Write a nuclear equation for the alpha decay of Pu.

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

Question 21

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

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

Question 22

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

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

Question 23

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

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

Question 24

Identify the missing particle in the following nuclear equation: Th → He + ?

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

Question 25

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

A) Th
B) Np
C) Ac
D) U
E) Th

Question 26

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

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

Question 27

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

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

Question 28

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

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

Question 29

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

A) Ru
B) Rh
C) Nb
D) Mo
E) Ru

Question 30

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

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

Question 31

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

A) Pt
B) Tl
C) Hg
D) Bi
E) Pb

Question 32

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

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

Question 33

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

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

Question 34

Identify the missing particle in the following nuclear equation: Pb → e + ?

A) Bi
B) Tl
C) Pb
D) Pb
E) Tl

Question 35

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

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

Question 36

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

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

Question 37

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

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

Question 38

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

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

Question 39

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

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

Question 40

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

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

Question 41

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 42

Identify the nuclide that has the longest half-life.

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

Question 43

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 44

Give the maximum age that can be estimated from radiocarbon dating.

A) 100 000 years
B) 1 000 000 years
C) 50 000 years
D) 5000 years
E) 10 000 years

Question 45

Identify the nuclide that has the shortest half-life.

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

Question 46

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 47

Nuclides above the valley of stability can become more stable through which of the following processes?

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

Question 48

Identify the missing particle in the following nuclear equation: U → ? + He + 2 g

A) Th
B) Ra
C) Pu
D) Th
E) Ra

Question 49

Which of the following statements is TRUE?

A) If the N/Z ratio is too high, there are too many neutrons and the nuclide will convert a neutron to a proton via beta decay.
B) If the N/Z ratio lies somewhere below 1, the nuclide is stable.
C) If the 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) All stable nuclei have an N/Z ratio equal to 1.

Question 50

Identify the instrument used to detect radiation.

A) cathode ray tube
B) Geiger counter
C) oscillation counter
D) X-ray tube
E) nuclear magnetic resonance instruments

Question 51

Atoms with Z > ________ are radioactive and decay in one or more steps involving mostly alpha and beta decay.

A) 60
B) 100
C) 83
D) 160
E) 40

Question 52

Which of the following equations shows the correct relationship between the half-life of a nuclide and the radioactive decay rate constant?

A) ln = -
B) = - ln
C) = 0.693 × k
D) =
E) =

Question 53

Identify the missing particle in the following nuclear equation: H + H → He + ? + g

A) e
B) n
C) e
D) H
E) g

Question 54

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

Question 55

What is the correct technique used in radiometric dating of rocks?

A) uranium-238 to lead-206
B) potassium-40 to argon-40
C) carbon-14 to nitrogen-14
D) bismuth-206 to uranium-238
E) calcium-41 to argon-42

Question 56

Nuclides below the valley of stability can become more stable through which of the following processes?

A) gamma emission
B) beta emission
C) positron emission
D) neutron emission
E) neutron bombardment

Question 57

Stable isotopes with low atomic numbers have an N/Z ratio of 1. What does that imply?

A) The number of neutrons equals the number of protons.
B) The number of neutrons equals the number of electrons plus protons.
C) The number of protons equals the number of electrons.
D) The atomic number equals the atomic mass.
E) The number of protons equals the number of electrons plus neutrons.

Question 58

Identify the missing particle in the following nuclear equation: U → Sr + ? + 2 n + 4 g

A) Te
B) Xe
C) Xe
D) Te
E) Sr

Question 59

Above what atomic number are there no stable isotopes of any element?

A) 20
B) 92
C) 83
D) 40
E) 89

Question 60

The radioactive decay of ________ is the single greatest source of human exposure to radiation.

A) radon
B) uranium
C) ozone
D) carbon
E) thorium

Question 61

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

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

Question 62

The following reaction represents what nuclear process? U + n → Ba + Kr + 3 n

A) nuclear fission
B) nuclear fusion
C) electron capture
D) alpha decay
E) beta emission

Question 63

The following reaction represents which nuclear process? He + Li → 2 He + p⁺

A) nuclear fission
B) nuclear fusion
C) electron capture
D) alpha decay
E) beta emission

Question 64

Determine how many neutrons are produced during the neutron-induced fission of Pu to form Kr and Ce.

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

Question 65

The splitting of the uranium atom is called ________.

A) radioactive cleavage
B) nuclear fission
C) nuclear fusion
D) radioactive merge
E) recombination

Question 66

Determine the binding energy of an O-16 nucleus. The O-16 nucleus has a mass of 15.9905 u. A proton has a mass of 1.00728 u, a neutron has a mass of 1.008665 u, and 1 u 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 67

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 68

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 69

Determine the binding energy per nucleon of a Mg-24 nucleus. The Mg-24 nucleus has a mass of 23.985042 u. A proton has a mass of 1.00728 u, a neutron has a mass of 1.008665 u, and 1 u is equivalent to 931 MeV of energy.

A) 192 MeV
B) 8.83 MeV
C) 0.113 MeV
D) 106 MeV
E) 4.41 MeV

Question 70

The following reaction represents what nuclear process? H + H → He + n

A) nuclear fusion
B) alpha emission
C) beta emission
D) nuclear fission
E) neutron capture

Question 71

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

A) radioactive cleavage
B) nuclear fission
C) nuclear fusion
D) radioactive merge
E) recombination

Question 72

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

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

Question 73

Determine how many neutrons are produced during the spontaneous fission of Am to form I-134 and Mo-107.

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

Question 74

Complete the following equation of nuclear fusion. H + H → He + ________

A) e
B) g
C) e
D) H
E) n

Question 75

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

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

Question 76

Determine the half-life of a nuclide that loses 38.0% of its mass in 387 hours.

A) 277 hours
B) 455 hour
C) 561 hours
D) 639 hours
E) 748 hours

Question 77

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) 1.7 × 10² minutes
C) 1.3 × 10² minutes
D) 3.0 × 10² minutes
E) 2.1 × 10² minutes

Question 78

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

A) 0.23212 u
B) 0.77902 u
C) 0.23041 u
D) 0.77589 u
E) 0.22198 u

Question 79

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 80

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