Question 1

Which of the following statements about radiation is true?

Accepted Answer

A) Your body contains a number of radioactive isotopes. 
B) One rem is enough to kill approximately 50 percent of the average population. 
C) Radiation damages cells beyond repair. 
D) Several small exposures over time has the same negative effect as one large exposure that totals the same amount. 
E) Radiation can make you glow in the dark. 
A) Your body contains a number of radioactive isotopes. 
B) One rem is enough to kill approximately 50 percent of the average population. 
C) Radiation damages cells beyond repair. 
D) Several small exposures over time has the same negative effect as one large exposure that totals the same amount. 
E) Radiation can make you glow in the dark.

Question 2

The original reactor built in 1942 was just "barely" critical because the natural uranium that was used contained less than 1% of the fissionable isotope U-235 (half life 713 million years).What if,in 1942,the Earth had been 9 billion years old instead of 4.5 billion years old? Would this reactor have reached critical stage with natural uranium? Why?

Accepted Answer

A) No.The age of the Earth has nothing to do with the reactor reaching critical stage with U-235. 
B) No.1% of the fissionable isotope U-235 is insufficient for the reactor to reach critical stage no matter what the age of the Earth. 
C) Yes.If the Earth had been twice as old there would have then been twice as much fissionable U-235 present and the reactor would have reached critical stage. 
D) No.The increased age of the Earth would mean that there would be a much smaller percentage of U-235,thus not enough for the reactor to reach critical stage. 
A) No.The age of the Earth has nothing to do with the reactor reaching critical stage with U-235. 
B) No.1% of the fissionable isotope U-235 is insufficient for the reactor to reach critical stage no matter what the age of the Earth. 
C) Yes.If the Earth had been twice as old there would have then been twice as much fissionable U-235 present and the reactor would have reached critical stage. 
D) No.The increased age of the Earth would mean that there would be a much smaller percentage of U-235,thus not enough for the reactor to reach critical stage.

Question 3

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

Accepted Answer

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

Question 4

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 5

When $\begin{array} { c } 
218\
84
\end{array}$ Po emits a beta particle,it transforms into a new element.What are the atomic number and atomic mass of this new element?

Accepted Answer

A) atomic number = 84; atomic mass = 219 
B) atomic number = 86; atomic mass = 214 
C) atomic number = 85; atomic mass = 218 
D) atomic number = 82; atomic mass = 214 
A) atomic number = 84; atomic mass = 219 
B) atomic number = 86; atomic mass = 214 
C) atomic number = 85; atomic mass = 218 
D) atomic number = 82; atomic mass = 214

Question 6

Complete the following nuclear equation: $\begin{array} { c } 
210\
83
\end{array}$ Bi ? $\begin{array} { c } 
206\
81
\end{array}$ Tl + ??

Accepted Answer

A)  $\begin{array} { c } 
0 \
- 1
\end{array}$ e 
B)  $\begin{array} { c } 
4\
2
\end{array}$ He 
C) gamma ray 
D) both A and B 
E) none of the above 
A)  $\begin{array} { c } 
0 \
- 1
\end{array}$ e 
B)  $\begin{array} { c } 
4\
2
\end{array}$ He 
C) gamma ray 
D) both A and B 
E) none of the above

Question 7

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 8

Which of the following statements best describes a critical mass?

Accepted Answer

A) A critical mass is the minimum amount of material that will undergo nuclear detonation. 
B) A critical mass is the minimum amount of material that will spontaneously undergo a chain reaction. 
C) A critical mass cannot be assembled from smaller,noncritical pieces of material. 
D) A critical mass will detonate when it is separated into subcritical pieces. 
E) none of the above 
A) A critical mass is the minimum amount of material that will undergo nuclear detonation. 
B) A critical mass is the minimum amount of material that will spontaneously undergo a chain reaction. 
C) A critical mass cannot be assembled from smaller,noncritical pieces of material. 
D) A critical mass will detonate when it is separated into subcritical pieces. 
E) none of the above

Question 9

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 10

The age of the Dead Sea Scrolls was found by carbon-14 dating.Could this technique have worked if they were carved in stone tablets? Explain.

Accepted Answer

A) Yes,because there are appreciable levels of carbon even in stone. 
B) No,this method of dating requires a material that was once living. 
C) Yes,because X-ray images could be collected instead. 
D) No,the stones in the arid environment of the Dead Sea would have lost all of their carbon-14 by now. 
A) Yes,because there are appreciable levels of carbon even in stone. 
B) No,this method of dating requires a material that was once living. 
C) Yes,because X-ray images could be collected instead. 
D) No,the stones in the arid environment of the Dead Sea would have lost all of their carbon-14 by now.

Question 11

Radium-226 is a common isotope on Earth,but has a half-life of about 1600 years.Given that Earth is some 5 billions 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 12

Which of the following statements about carbon-14 dating is true?

Accepted Answer

A) Carbon-14 dating is very accurate because the amount of carbon-14 in the atmosphere is constant. 
B) Carbon-14 can be used to date anything younger than 50,000 years. 
C) Carbon-14 dating can be used to date stone tools as well as bone. 
D) all of the above 
E) none of the above 
A) Carbon-14 dating is very accurate because the amount of carbon-14 in the atmosphere is constant. 
B) Carbon-14 can be used to date anything younger than 50,000 years. 
C) Carbon-14 dating can be used to date stone tools as well as bone. 
D) all of the above 
E) none of the above

Question 13

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 14

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 15

Which of the following professions would likely have the highest occupational exposure to radiation per year?

Accepted Answer

A) airline pilot 
B) quarterback for the Denver Broncos 
C) center for the L.A.Lakers 
D) deep sea diver 
E) lifeguard 
A) airline pilot 
B) quarterback for the Denver Broncos 
C) center for the L.A.Lakers 
D) deep sea diver 
E) lifeguard

Question 16

When $\begin{array} { c } 
226 \
88
\end{array}$ Ra decays by emitting an alpha particle,what is the atomic number of the resulting nucleus? What is the resulting atomic mass?

Accepted Answer

A) atomic number = 86; atomic mass = 222 
B) atomic number = 87; atomic mass = 226 
C) atomic number = 86; atomic mass = 224 
D) atomic number = 87; atomic mass = 224 
A) atomic number = 86; atomic mass = 222 
B) atomic number = 87; atomic mass = 226 
C) atomic number = 86; atomic mass = 224 
D) atomic number = 87; atomic mass = 224

Question 17

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 18

Complete the following nuclear equation: $\begin{array} { c } 
210\
84
\end{array}$ Po ? ?? + $\begin{array} { c } 
4\
2
\end{array}$ He

Accepted Answer

A)  $\begin{array} { c } 
210\
84
\end{array}$ Po 
B)  $\begin{array} { c } 
206\
82
\end{array}$ Pb 
C)  $\begin{array} { c } 
210\
82
\end{array}$ Pb 
D)  $\begin{array} { c } 
214\
86
\end{array}$ Rn 
E) none of the above 
A)  $\begin{array} { c } 
210\
84
\end{array}$ Po 
B)  $\begin{array} { c } 
206\
82
\end{array}$ Pb 
C)  $\begin{array} { c } 
210\
82
\end{array}$ Pb 
D)  $\begin{array} { c } 
214\
86
\end{array}$ Rn 
E) none of the above

Question 19

Complete the following nuclear equation: $\begin{array} { c } 
210\
83
\end{array}$ Bi ? ?? + $\begin{array} { c } 
0 \
- 1
\end{array}$ e

Accepted Answer

A)  $\begin{array} { c } 
210\
84
\end{array}$ Po 
B)  $\begin{array} { c } 
206\
82
\end{array}$ Pb 
C)  $\begin{array} { c } 
210\
82
\end{array}$ Pb 
D)  $\begin{array} { c } 
211\
84
\end{array}$ Th 
E) none of the above 
A)  $\begin{array} { c } 
210\
84
\end{array}$ Po 
B)  $\begin{array} { c } 
206\
82
\end{array}$ Pb 
C)  $\begin{array} { c } 
210\
82
\end{array}$ Pb 
D)  $\begin{array} { c } 
211\
84
\end{array}$ Th 
E) none of the above

Question 20

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

Exam 13: The Atomic Nucleus and Radioactivity

Which of the following statements about radiation is true?

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

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

When 218 84 Po emits a beta particle,it transforms into a new element.What are the atomic number and atomic mass of this new element?

Complete the following nuclear equation: 210 83 Bi ? 206 81 Tl + ??

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 of the following statements best describes a critical mass?

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

The age of the Dead Sea Scrolls was found by carbon-14 dating.Could this technique have worked if they were carved in stone tablets? Explain.

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

Which of the following statements about carbon-14 dating is true?

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

Which of the following professions would likely have the highest occupational exposure to radiation per year?

When 226 88 Ra decays by emitting an alpha particle,what is the atomic number of the resulting nucleus? What is the resulting atomic mass?

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

Complete the following nuclear equation: 210 84 Po ? ?? + 4 2 He

Complete the following nuclear equation: 210 83 Bi ? ?? + 0 -1 e

Which of the following statements about radiation is true?

Patterns of Motion and Equilibrium

Newtons Laws of Motion

Momentum and Energy

Gravity, Projectiles, and Satellites

Fluid Mechanics

Thermal Energy and Thermodynamics

Heat Transfer and Change of Phase

Static and Current Electricity

Magnetism and Electromagnetic Induction

Waves and Sound

Light

Atoms and the Periodic Table

Elements of Chemistry

How Atoms Bond and Molecules Attract

Mixtures

How Chemicals React

Two Classes of Chemical Reactions

Organic Compounds

Rocks and Minerals

Plate Tectonics and Earths Interior

Shaping Earths Surface

Geologic Time - Reading the Rock Record

The Oceans, Atmosphere, and Climatic Effects

Driving Forces of Weather

The Solar System

Stars and Galaxies

The Structure of Space and Time

Prologue: The Nature of Science

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