Question 1

Your friend says that the helium used to inflate balloons is a product of radioactive decay. Another friend says "no way." With whom do you agree?

Accepted Answer

A) If helium were a product of radioactive decay, we would all be radioactive. Agree with the friend that says "no way." 
B) Radioactive decay produces alpha particles, not helium. Agree with the friend that says "no way." 
C) Your first friend is correct. Radioactive isotopes emit alpha particles which, in turn, capture electrons and become helium atoms. 
D) Helium is an element of the periodic table, not some product of any reaction. Agree with the friend that says "no way." 
A) If helium were a product of radioactive decay, we would all be radioactive. Agree with the friend that says "no way." 
B) Radioactive decay produces alpha particles, not helium. Agree with the friend that says "no way." 
C) Your first friend is correct. Radioactive isotopes emit alpha particles which, in turn, capture electrons and become helium atoms. 
D) Helium is an element of the periodic table, not some product of any reaction. Agree with the friend that says "no way."

Question 2

Which of the beams is due to a positively charged helium nucleus?

Accepted Answer

A) a 
B) b 
C) c 
D) all of the above 
E) none of the above 
A) a 
B) b 
C) c 
D) all of the above 
E) none of the above

Question 3

How is it possible for an element to decay "forward in the periodic table"-that is, to decay to an element of higher atomic number?

Accepted Answer

A) when the decay is instigated by a collision with a proton 
B) as a beta particle is released, a neutron transforms into a proton 
C) This only occurs during nuclear fusion. 
D) It is not possible. Radioactive decay always results in an isotope with the same or lower atomic number. 
A) when the decay is instigated by a collision with a proton 
B) as a beta particle is released, a neutron transforms into a proton 
C) This only occurs during nuclear fusion. 
D) It is not possible. Radioactive decay always results in an isotope with the same or lower atomic number.

Question 4

Which type of radiation from cosmic sources predominates on the inside of a high-flying commercial airplane: alpha, beta, or gamma?

Accepted Answer

A) alpha radiation 
B) beta radiation 
C) gamma radiation 
D) None of these predominate as all three are abundant. 
A) alpha radiation 
B) beta radiation 
C) gamma radiation 
D) None of these predominate as all three are abundant.

Question 5

Where does the earth receive most of its energy?

Accepted Answer

A) external fusion 
B) internal fusion 
C) internal fission 
D) external fission 
E) internal combustion 
A) external fusion 
B) internal fusion 
C) internal fission 
D) external fission 
E) internal combustion

Question 6

Which shape is likely to need more material for a critical mass, a cube or a sphere? Why?

Accepted Answer

A) a sphere because it has the greater surface area to volume ratio 
B) a sphere because it has the smaller surface area to volume ratio 
C) a cube because it has the greater surface area to volume ratio 
D) a cube because it has the smaller surface area to volume ratio 
A) a sphere because it has the greater surface area to volume ratio 
B) a sphere because it has the smaller surface area to volume ratio 
C) a cube because it has the greater surface area to volume ratio 
D) a cube because it has the smaller surface area to volume ratio

Question 7

Ordinary hydrogen is sometimes called a perfect fuel, because of its almost unlimited supply on Earth, and when it burns, harmless water is the product of the combustion. So why don't we abandon fission energy and fusion energy, not to mention fossil-fuel energy, and just use hydrogen?

Accepted Answer

A) The oil companies have lobbied the federal government to continue fossil fuel usage because it would mean huge profit losses for all the major oil conglomerates. 
B) The conversion of current energy consuming vehicles and other machinery to hydrogen, although simple, is going to be very costly to the consumer and difficult to legislate. 
C) The political, economic, and corporate pressures being exerted to oppose abandoning the other energy sources are the only obstacles to moving to the use of hydrogen as the nation's primary energy source. 
D) Hydrogen represents a viable solution for stored energy but not as a general energy source since obtaining the hydrogen from water requires more energy than is produced when you burn it. 
A) The oil companies have lobbied the federal government to continue fossil fuel usage because it would mean huge profit losses for all the major oil conglomerates. 
B) The conversion of current energy consuming vehicles and other machinery to hydrogen, although simple, is going to be very costly to the consumer and difficult to legislate. 
C) The political, economic, and corporate pressures being exerted to oppose abandoning the other energy sources are the only obstacles to moving to the use of hydrogen as the nation's primary energy source. 
D) Hydrogen represents a viable solution for stored energy but not as a general energy source since obtaining the hydrogen from water requires more energy than is produced when you burn it.

Question 8

Which of the following nuclear equations correctly describes beta emission?

Accepted Answer

A)    Th →   Pa +   e 
B)    Th →   Ac +   e 
C)    Th →   Pa +   e 
D)    Th →   e 
E) none of the above 
A)    Th →   Pa +   e 
B)    Th →   Ac +   e 
C)    Th →   Pa +   e 
D)    Th →   e 
E) none of the above

Question 9

If carbon-14 is a beta emitter, what is the likely product of radioactive decay?

Accepted Answer

A) nitrogen-14 
B) carbon-12 
C) oxygen-18 
D) beryllium-10 
E) none of the above 
A) nitrogen-14 
B) carbon-12 
C) oxygen-18 
D) beryllium-10 
E) none of the above

Question 10

Which of the following nuclear equations correctly describes alpha emission?

Accepted Answer

A)    U →   Th +   He 
B)    U →   U +   He 
C)    U →   Pu +   He 
D)    U →   He 
E) none of the above 
A)    U →   Th +   He 
B)    U →   U +   He 
C)    U →   Pu +   He 
D)    U →   He 
E) none of the above

Question 11

Why is the carbon-14 dating not accurate for estimating the age of materials more than 50,000 years old?

Accepted Answer

A) This form of radioactive dating is only accurate back 1,400 years. 
B) The concentration of carbon-14 in a body after 50,000 years is too low. 
C) Living organisms are too decomposed after 50,000 years. 
D) Actually, carbon-14 dating is accurate back to around 5 million years ago. 
A) This form of radioactive dating is only accurate back 1,400 years. 
B) The concentration of carbon-14 in a body after 50,000 years is too low. 
C) Living organisms are too decomposed after 50,000 years. 
D) Actually, carbon-14 dating is accurate back to around 5 million years ago.

Question 12

Which process would release energy from gold, fission or fusion? From carbon?

Accepted Answer

A) gold: fission; carbon: fusion 
B) gold: fusion; carbon: fission 
C) gold: fission; carbon: fission 
D) gold: fusion; carbon: fusion 
A) gold: fission; carbon: fusion 
B) gold: fusion; carbon: fission 
C) gold: fission; carbon: fission 
D) gold: fusion; carbon: fusion

Question 13

Which of the beams is actually composed of particles?

Accepted Answer

A) a 
B) b 
C) c 
D) a and c 
E) all of the above 
A) a 
B) b 
C) c 
D) a and c 
E) all of the above

Question 14

What does Einstein's energy equation (E = mc2)say about the energy that is derived from nuclear fission reactions?

Accepted Answer

A) The energy released is due to the missing mass of the products compared to the mass of the starting materials. 
B) The energy is proportional to the mass of the atom undergoing fission. 
C) The energy is derived from the light that is emitted when the atom splits. 
D) The energy equation does not apply towards fission, only fusion. 
E) none of the above 
A) The energy released is due to the missing mass of the products compared to the mass of the starting materials. 
B) The energy is proportional to the mass of the atom undergoing fission. 
C) The energy is derived from the light that is emitted when the atom splits. 
D) The energy equation does not apply towards fission, only fusion. 
E) none of the above

Question 15

Does the average distance that a neutron travels through fissionable material before escaping increase or decrease when two pieces of fissionable material are assembled into one piece? Does this assembly increase or decrease the probability of an explosion?

Accepted Answer

A) The average distance increases while the probability of an explosion also increases. 
B) The average distance decreases while the probability of an explosion decreases. 
C) The average distance increases while the probability of an explosion decreases. 
D) The average distance decreases while the probability of an explosion increases. 
A) The average distance increases while the probability of an explosion also increases. 
B) The average distance decreases while the probability of an explosion decreases. 
C) The average distance increases while the probability of an explosion decreases. 
D) The average distance decreases while the probability of an explosion increases.

Question 16

Radium-226 is a common isotope on Earth, but has a half-life of about 1600 years. Given that Earth is some 5 billion years old, why is there any radium at all?

Accepted Answer

A) Radium-226 is one of several self-transmutating isotopes of the elements of the periodic table and is able to replenish itself so that it is never depleted. 
B) Radium-226 and Radium-218 undergo a series of transmutation reactions of alpha and beta decay to repeatedly become one another approximately every 1600 years. 
C) Radium-226 is a "daughter" isotope and the result of the radioactive decay of uranium. 
D) Radium-226 and Astatine-218 are converted back and forth via transmutation to one another at each of their respective half-life cycles. 
A) Radium-226 is one of several self-transmutating isotopes of the elements of the periodic table and is able to replenish itself so that it is never depleted. 
B) Radium-226 and Radium-218 undergo a series of transmutation reactions of alpha and beta decay to repeatedly become one another approximately every 1600 years. 
C) Radium-226 is a "daughter" isotope and the result of the radioactive decay of uranium. 
D) Radium-226 and Astatine-218 are converted back and forth via transmutation to one another at each of their respective half-life cycles.

Question 17

How can a half-life be used to tell the age of a sample?

Accepted Answer

A) The half-life of an isotope is constant. 
B) The amount of radioactive form depends on the amount of radiation in the surroundings. 
C) The ratio between the radioactive form and the stable form depends on the archaeological record. 
D) The ratio between the radioactive form and stable form varies regularly with time. 
E) both C and D 
A) The half-life of an isotope is constant. 
B) The amount of radioactive form depends on the amount of radiation in the surroundings. 
C) The ratio between the radioactive form and the stable form depends on the archaeological record. 
D) The ratio between the radioactive form and stable form varies regularly with time. 
E) both C and D

Question 18

Which of the following statements about radiation is true?

Accepted Answer

A) Radiation can be a useful tool. Like fire, it is only dangerous when misused. 
B) Radiation is new: It is a man-made phenomenon. 
C) Radiation has no beneficial health applications. 
D) all of the above 
E) only A or B 
A) Radiation can be a useful tool. Like fire, it is only dangerous when misused. 
B) Radiation is new: It is a man-made phenomenon. 
C) Radiation has no beneficial health applications. 
D) all of the above 
E) only A or B

Question 19

A sample of radium is usually a little warmer than its surroundings because

Accepted Answer

A) it efficiently absorbs and releases energy from sunlight. 
B) its atoms are continually being struck by alpha and beta particles. 
C) it is radioactive. 
D) it emits alpha and beta particles. 
A) it efficiently absorbs and releases energy from sunlight. 
B) its atoms are continually being struck by alpha and beta particles. 
C) it is radioactive. 
D) it emits alpha and beta particles.

Question 20

You are given three radioactive samples (α, β, and γ)and can only dispose of one. The other two you must keep, one in your hand, the other in your pocket. How would you minimize your exposure risk?

Accepted Answer

A) keep α in hand, keep β in pocket, and dispose of γ 
B) dispose of α, keep β in hand, and keep γ in pocket 
C) dispose of α, keep β in pocket and keep γ in hand 
D) keep α in pocket, dispose of β, and keep γ in hand 
E) keep α in hand, dispose of β, and keep γ in pocket 
A) keep α in hand, keep β in pocket, and dispose of γ 
B) dispose of α, keep β in hand, and keep γ in pocket 
C) dispose of α, keep β in pocket and keep γ in hand 
D) keep α in pocket, dispose of β, and keep γ in hand 
E) keep α in hand, dispose of β, and keep γ in pocket

Exam 10: The Atomic Nucleus and Radioactivity

Your friend says that the helium used to inflate balloons is a product of radioactive decay. Another friend says "no way." With whom do you agree?

Which of the beams is due to a positively charged helium nucleus?

How is it possible for an element to decay "forward in the periodic table"-that is, to decay to an element of higher atomic number?

Which type of radiation from cosmic sources predominates on the inside of a high-flying commercial airplane: alpha, beta, or gamma?

Where does the earth receive most of its energy?

Which shape is likely to need more material for a critical mass, a cube or a sphere? Why?

Ordinary hydrogen is sometimes called a perfect fuel, because of its almost unlimited supply on Earth, and when it burns, harmless water is the product of the combustion. So why don't we abandon fission energy and fusion energy, not to mention fossil-fuel energy, and just use hydrogen?

Which of the following nuclear equations correctly describes beta emission?

If carbon-14 is a beta emitter, what is the likely product of radioactive decay?

Which of the following nuclear equations correctly describes alpha emission?

Why is the carbon-14 dating not accurate for estimating the age of materials more than 50,000 years old?

Which process would release energy from gold, fission or fusion? From carbon?

Which of the beams is actually composed of particles?

What does Einstein's energy equation (E = mc2)say about the energy that is derived from nuclear fission reactions?

Does the average distance that a neutron travels through fissionable material before escaping increase or decrease when two pieces of fissionable material are assembled into one piece? Does this assembly increase or decrease the probability of an explosion?

Radium-226 is a common isotope on Earth, but has a half-life of about 1600 years. Given that Earth is some 5 billion years old, why is there any radium at all?

How can a half-life be used to tell the age of a sample?

Which of the following statements about radiation is true?

A sample of radium is usually a little warmer than its surroundings because

You are given three radioactive samples (α, β, and γ)and can only dispose of one. The other two you must keep, one in your hand, the other in your pocket. How would you minimize your exposure risk?

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