Question 1

If Uranium-234 decays via alpha emission, what is the likely product of radioactive decay? (U, atomic no. = 92)

Accepted Answer

A)    Th 
B)    Np 
C)    Th 
D)    Np 
E) none of the above 
A)    Th 
B)    Np 
C)    Th 
D)    Np 
E) none of the above

Question 2

A friend produces a Geiger counter to check the local background radiation. It ticks. Another friend, who normally fears most that which is understood least, makes an effort to keep away from the region of the Geiger counter and looks to you for advice. What do you say?

Accepted Answer

A) Run away as fast as you can! 
B) The Geiger counter is emitting radiation. 
C) The Geiger counter is detecting naturally occurring radiation from your body. 
D) Wear heavy clothes. 
A) Run away as fast as you can! 
B) The Geiger counter is emitting radiation. 
C) The Geiger counter is detecting naturally occurring radiation from your body. 
D) Wear heavy clothes.

Question 3

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 4

Which type of radiation is being emitted in the following incomplete nuclear equation:   Po →   Pb + ??

Accepted Answer

A) alpha 
B) beta 
C) gamma 
D) A and B 
E) none of the above 
A) alpha 
B) beta 
C) gamma 
D) A and B 
E) none of the above

Question 5

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

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 6

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 7

Which are older, the atoms in the body of an elderly person or those in the body of a baby?

Accepted Answer

A) a baby because this is surely a trick question 
B) an elderly person because they have been around much longer 
C) They are of the same age, which is appreciably older than the solar system. 
D) It depends upon their diet. 
A) a baby because this is surely a trick question 
B) an elderly person because they have been around much longer 
C) They are of the same age, which is appreciably older than the solar system. 
D) It depends upon their diet.

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

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 10

Which produces more energy, the fissioning of a single uranium nucleus or the fusing of a pair of deuterium nuclei? Why?

Accepted Answer

A) Fusing a pair of deuterium nuclei produces more energy because, unlike fission, there is no radioactive waste product. 
B) Fissioning a single uranium nucleus produces more energy since its mass is much greater than that of a pair of deuterium nuclei. 
C) Both the fissioning of a single uranium nucleus and the fusing of a pair of deuterium nuclei produce the same amount of energy since the resulting products are the same. 
D) Neither the fissioning of a single uranium nucleus nor the fusing of a pair of deuterium nuclei produce any net amount of energy. On the contrary, both processes require more energy than they produce. 
A) Fusing a pair of deuterium nuclei produces more energy because, unlike fission, there is no radioactive waste product. 
B) Fissioning a single uranium nucleus produces more energy since its mass is much greater than that of a pair of deuterium nuclei. 
C) Both the fissioning of a single uranium nucleus and the fusing of a pair of deuterium nuclei produce the same amount of energy since the resulting products are the same. 
D) Neither the fissioning of a single uranium nucleus nor the fusing of a pair of deuterium nuclei produce any net amount of energy. On the contrary, both processes require more energy than they produce.

Question 11

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

Accepted Answer

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

Question 12

Which of the following does not describe a nuclear fission reaction?

Accepted Answer

A) The number of nucleons in the products is different from the number of nucleons in the starting material. 
B) The mass of the products is less than the mass of the reactants. 
C) The energy released is proportional to the mass difference in the system. 
D) All of the above describe a fusion reaction. 
E) None of the above describe a fusion reaction. 
A) The number of nucleons in the products is different from the number of nucleons in the starting material. 
B) The mass of the products is less than the mass of the reactants. 
C) The energy released is proportional to the mass difference in the system. 
D) All of the above describe a fusion reaction. 
E) None of the above describe a fusion reaction.

Question 13

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 14

Which of the following statements about chain reactions is true?

Accepted Answer

A) The key requirement for a chain reaction is that more neutrons are produced than are absorbed. 
B) Three or more neutrons must be released to sustain a chain reaction. 
C) Only uranium isotopes are capable of supporting a chain reaction. 
D) It is not possible to stop or control a chain reaction once it has been started. 
E) A chain reaction will only take place when a critical mass of material has been assembled. 
A) The key requirement for a chain reaction is that more neutrons are produced than are absorbed. 
B) Three or more neutrons must be released to sustain a chain reaction. 
C) Only uranium isotopes are capable of supporting a chain reaction. 
D) It is not possible to stop or control a chain reaction once it has been started. 
E) A chain reaction will only take place when a critical mass of material has been assembled.

Question 15

If three samples have the half-lives listed below, which is the most radioactive?

Accepted Answer

A) a sample with a half-life of 20 minutes 
B) a sample with a half-life of 20 hours 
C) a sample with a half-life of 20 years 
D) a sample with a half-life of 20 million years 
E) none of the above 
A) a sample with a half-life of 20 minutes 
B) a sample with a half-life of 20 hours 
C) a sample with a half-life of 20 years 
D) a sample with a half-life of 20 million years 
E) none of the above

Question 16

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 17

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 18

A neutron makes a better nuclear bullet than a proton or an electron because it

Accepted Answer

A) has the greatest mass. 
B) carries no electrical charge. 
C) can be accelerated by electromagnetic fields. 
D) all of the above 
A) has the greatest mass. 
B) carries no electrical charge. 
C) can be accelerated by electromagnetic fields. 
D) all of the above

Question 19

Which type of radiation is being emitted in the following incomplete nuclear equation:   Pb →   Bi + ??

Accepted Answer

A) alpha 
B) beta 
C) gamma 
D) A and B 
E) none of the above 
A) alpha 
B) beta 
C) gamma 
D) A and B 
E) none of the above

Question 20

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.

Exam 13: The Atomic Nucleus and Radioactivity

If Uranium-234 decays via alpha emission, what is the likely product of radioactive decay? (U, atomic no. = 92)

A friend produces a Geiger counter to check the local background radiation. It ticks. Another friend, who normally fears most that which is understood least, makes an effort to keep away from the region of the Geiger counter and looks to you for advice. What do you say?

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

Which type of radiation is being emitted in the following incomplete nuclear equation: Po → Pb + ??

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

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

Which are older, the atoms in the body of an elderly person or those in the body of a baby?

Which of the following statements best describes a critical mass?

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

Which produces more energy, the fissioning of a single uranium nucleus or the fusing of a pair of deuterium nuclei? Why?

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

Which of the following does not describe a nuclear fission reaction?

Which of the following statements about radiation is true?

Which of the following statements about chain reactions is true?

If three samples have the half-lives listed below, which is the most radioactive?

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

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

A neutron makes a better nuclear bullet than a proton or an electron because it

Which type of radiation is being emitted in the following incomplete nuclear equation: Pb → Bi + ??

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

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 Timereading 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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