Question 1

Which of the following elements is the most stable from a nuclear point of view?

Accepted Answer

A) iron 
B) hydrogen 
C) argon 
D) uranium 
E) All are equally stable. 
A) iron 
B) hydrogen 
C) argon 
D) uranium 
E) All are equally stable.

Question 2

Which of the following emits more radiation?

Accepted Answer

A) a coal-fired power plant 
B) a nuclear power plant 
C) fallout from nuclear tests in the '50s and '60s 
D) a television set 
E) a computer monitor 
A) a coal-fired power plant 
B) a nuclear power plant 
C) fallout from nuclear tests in the '50s and '60s 
D) a television set 
E) a computer monitor

Question 3

What evidence supports the contention that the strong nuclear force is stronger than the electrical interaction at short inter-nuclear distances?

Accepted Answer

A) Protons are able to exist side-by-side within an atomic nucleus. 
B) Neutrons spontaneously decay into protons and electrons. 
C) Uranium deposits are always slightly warmer than their immediate surroundings. 
D) The radio interference that arises adjacent to any radioactive source 
A) Protons are able to exist side-by-side within an atomic nucleus. 
B) Neutrons spontaneously decay into protons and electrons. 
C) Uranium deposits are always slightly warmer than their immediate surroundings. 
D) The radio interference that arises adjacent to any radioactive source

Question 4

Which of the following provides the minimum amount of protection you need to block the following form of radiation? beta

Accepted Answer

A) lead suit 
B) suntan lotion 
C) thick leather 
D) T-shirt 
E) none of the above 
A) lead suit 
B) suntan lotion 
C) thick leather 
D) T-shirt 
E) none of the above

Question 5

Complete the following nuclear equation:   Bi →   Tl + ??

Accepted Answer

A)    e 
B)    He 
C) gamma ray 
D) both A and B 
E) none of the above 
A)    e 
B)    He 
C) gamma ray 
D) both A and B 
E) none of the above

Question 6

Which type of radiation-alpha, beta, or gamma-results in the least change in atomic number?

Accepted Answer

A) alpha radiation 
B) beta radiation 
C) gamma radiation 
D) They all result in the same change in atomic mass number. 
A) alpha radiation 
B) beta radiation 
C) gamma radiation 
D) They all result in the same change in atomic mass number.

Question 7

Why would you expect alpha particles to be less able to penetrate materials than beta particles of the same kinetic energy?

Accepted Answer

A) Alpha particles pick up electrons to become harmless helium atoms. 
B) Alpha particles carry twice the electric charge. 
C) Alpha particles move much slower for a given kinetic energy. 
D) Two of the above answers are reasonable. 
A) Alpha particles pick up electrons to become harmless helium atoms. 
B) Alpha particles carry twice the electric charge. 
C) Alpha particles move much slower for a given kinetic energy. 
D) Two of the above answers are reasonable.

Question 8

When food is irradiated with gamma rays from a cobalt-60 source, does the food become radioactive? Why?

Accepted Answer

A) Yes. This is why irradiation with cobalt-60 is no longer approved by the FDA. 
B) Yes. However, the radioactivity resulting is well below the danger level established by the FDA. 
C) No. The gamma rays do not have sufficient energy to initiate the nuclear reaction in the atoms of the food. 
D) Yes and No. Although the gamma rays initiate the nuclear reaction the radioactivity does not show up until the food is ingested. 
A) Yes. This is why irradiation with cobalt-60 is no longer approved by the FDA. 
B) Yes. However, the radioactivity resulting is well below the danger level established by the FDA. 
C) No. The gamma rays do not have sufficient energy to initiate the nuclear reaction in the atoms of the food. 
D) Yes and No. Although the gamma rays initiate the nuclear reaction the radioactivity does not show up until the food is ingested.

Question 9

Which of the following is a major disadvantage of nuclear-fission-based power plants?

Accepted Answer

A) The reactors can be used to produce their own fuel. 
B) The byproducts of the fission process are radioactive and have very long half-lives. 
C) The amount of energy per kilogram of fuel is greater than any other fuel source. 
D) The power plants are complex and there are many safety requirements to prevent contamination of the environment. 
E) B and D 
A) The reactors can be used to produce their own fuel. 
B) The byproducts of the fission process are radioactive and have very long half-lives. 
C) The amount of energy per kilogram of fuel is greater than any other fuel source. 
D) The power plants are complex and there are many safety requirements to prevent contamination of the environment. 
E) B and D

Question 10

Otto Hahn and Fritz Strassmann discovered fission by bombarding uranium with neutrons. Their discovery was made possible by finding one of the fission products, barium (Ba, atomic no. = 56). What is a reasonable explanation for why they were unable to initially observe the other product, krypton (Kr, atomic no. = 36)

Accepted Answer

A) Krypton is a noble gas and it may have diffused out of the sample. 
B) The isotope of krypton generated might have a short half-life and had undergone radioactive decay to some other element. 
C) Krypton is a noble gas and therefore chemically unreactive, making it difficult to characterize by chemical means. 
D) both A and B 
E) all of the above 
A) Krypton is a noble gas and it may have diffused out of the sample. 
B) The isotope of krypton generated might have a short half-life and had undergone radioactive decay to some other element. 
C) Krypton is a noble gas and therefore chemically unreactive, making it difficult to characterize by chemical means. 
D) both A and B 
E) all of the above

Question 11

Complete the following nuclear equation: ?? →   Rn +   He

Accepted Answer

A)    Ra 
B)    At 
C)    Po 
D)    Rn 
E) none of the above 
A)    Ra 
B)    At 
C)    Po 
D)    Rn 
E) none of the above

Question 12

Coal contains only minute quantities of radioactive materials, yet there is more environmental radiation surrounding a coal-fired power plant than a fission power plant. This indicates that

Accepted Answer

A) the coal-fired power plant's radiation shields need to be strengthened. 
B) the coal-fired power plant has been contaminated. 
C) the coal-fired power plant contains none of the radiation it releases. 
D) the news media is biased in its coverage. 
A) the coal-fired power plant's radiation shields need to be strengthened. 
B) the coal-fired power plant has been contaminated. 
C) the coal-fired power plant contains none of the radiation it releases. 
D) the news media is biased in its coverage.

Question 13

Why will nuclear fission probably not be used directly for powering automobiles?

Accepted Answer

A) Massive shielding would be required to protect against radioactivity exposure. 
B) Radioactive wastes could not be adequately controlled. 
C) It's more practical for cars to use the electricity generated by nuclear fission power plants. 
D) All of the above are true. 
A) Massive shielding would be required to protect against radioactivity exposure. 
B) Radioactive wastes could not be adequately controlled. 
C) It's more practical for cars to use the electricity generated by nuclear fission power plants. 
D) All of the above are true.

Question 14

How is energy released from nuclear fission and nuclear fusion, especially since they are opposite processes?

Accepted Answer

The name of the energy game is "lose mas

Question 15

Which of the beams is due to a high energy electron?

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 16

Which of the following statements regarding a nucleon is true?

Accepted Answer

A) Attraction between nucleons changes their mass. 
B) The mass of a nucleon depends on which nucleus it is in. 
C) Some of the mass of a nucleon can be converted into energy by breaking certain nuclei. 
D) both A and C 
E) all of the above 
A) Attraction between nucleons changes their mass. 
B) The mass of a nucleon depends on which nucleus it is in. 
C) Some of the mass of a nucleon can be converted into energy by breaking certain nuclei. 
D) both A and C 
E) all of the above

Question 17

What is the main technical difficulty in dealing with fusion reactions?

Accepted Answer

A) The amount of energy needed to overcome the electrical repulsion of the reactants is extremely high. 
B) The reactants are highly toxic and extremely radioactive. 
C) The mass of the reactants is less than the mass of the products. 
D) It isn't possible to artificially generate the conditions needed for fusion. 
E) none of the above 
A) The amount of energy needed to overcome the electrical repulsion of the reactants is extremely high. 
B) The reactants are highly toxic and extremely radioactive. 
C) The mass of the reactants is less than the mass of the products. 
D) It isn't possible to artificially generate the conditions needed for fusion. 
E) none of the above

Question 18

Why are smaller nuclei such as carbon-14 often radioactive? (carbon-12 is the most common and most stable form of carbon.)

Accepted Answer

A) The attractive force of the nucleons has a limited range. 
B) The isolated neutron is not stable and will undergo spontaneous transformation into a proton and an electron. 
C) Hmmm... mysterious are the ways of the force. 
D) both A and B 
E) none of the above 
A) The attractive force of the nucleons has a limited range. 
B) The isolated neutron is not stable and will undergo spontaneous transformation into a proton and an electron. 
C) Hmmm... mysterious are the ways of the force. 
D) both A and B 
E) none of the above

Question 19

Alpha and beta rays are deflected in opposite directions in a magnetic field because

Accepted Answer

A) they have opposite charges. 
B) they spin in opposite directions. 
C) alpha particles contain nucleons and beta particles do not. 
D) all of the above 
A) they have opposite charges. 
B) they spin in opposite directions. 
C) alpha particles contain nucleons and beta particles do not. 
D) all of the above

Question 20

In the 19th century the famous physicist Lord Kelvin estimated the age of Earth to be much much less than its present estimate. What information did Kelvin not have to account for his error?

Accepted Answer

A) Lord Kelvin knew only classical physics and had no knowledge of anthropological dating. 
B) Lord Kelvin had no knowledge of radio waves for measuring distance and age of planets since they have not yet been introduced into science. 
C) Lord Kelvin was not aware of radioactive decay, a source of energy to keep Earth warm for billions of years. 
D) Lord Kelvin never gave any estimate of the age of Earth. 
A) Lord Kelvin knew only classical physics and had no knowledge of anthropological dating. 
B) Lord Kelvin had no knowledge of radio waves for measuring distance and age of planets since they have not yet been introduced into science. 
C) Lord Kelvin was not aware of radioactive decay, a source of energy to keep Earth warm for billions of years. 
D) Lord Kelvin never gave any estimate of the age of Earth.

Exam 10: The Atomic Nucleus and Radioactivity

Which of the following elements is the most stable from a nuclear point of view?

Which of the following emits more radiation?

What evidence supports the contention that the strong nuclear force is stronger than the electrical interaction at short inter-nuclear distances?

Which of the following provides the minimum amount of protection you need to block the following form of radiation? beta

Complete the following nuclear equation: Bi → Tl + ??

Which type of radiation-alpha, beta, or gamma-results in the least change in atomic number?

Why would you expect alpha particles to be less able to penetrate materials than beta particles of the same kinetic energy?

When food is irradiated with gamma rays from a cobalt-60 source, does the food become radioactive? Why?

Which of the following is a major disadvantage of nuclear-fission-based power plants?

Complete the following nuclear equation: ?? → Rn + He

Coal contains only minute quantities of radioactive materials, yet there is more environmental radiation surrounding a coal-fired power plant than a fission power plant. This indicates that

Why will nuclear fission probably not be used directly for powering automobiles?

How is energy released from nuclear fission and nuclear fusion, especially since they are opposite processes?

Which of the beams is due to a high energy electron?

Which of the following statements regarding a nucleon is true?

What is the main technical difficulty in dealing with fusion reactions?

Why are smaller nuclei such as carbon-14 often radioactive? (carbon-12 is the most common and most stable form of carbon.)

Alpha and beta rays are deflected in opposite directions in a magnetic field because

In the 19th century the famous physicist Lord Kelvin estimated the age of Earth to be much much less than its present estimate. What information did Kelvin not have to account for his error?

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