Nuclear Structure

The atomic number is equivalent to which of the following?

• A. The number of neutrons in the atom. 

• B. The number of protons in the atom.

•  C. The number of nucleons in the atom. 

• D. The number of 𝛼–particles in the atom.

Which of the following particles has the smallest mass?

• A. Proton

• B. Electron

• C. Neutron

• D. Nucleus

What law did Ernest Rutherford use to estimate the size of the nucleus?

• A. Conservation of nucleon number

• B. Conservation of angular momentum

• C. Conservation of linear momentum

• D. Conservation of energy

Why are nuclear energy levels more complex than electron energy levels?

• A. Nuclear energy levels depend only on attractive forces.

• B. Nuclear energy levels depend on attractive and repulsive forces.

• C. Nuclear energy levels are an order of one hundred times as great as electron energy levels.

• D. Electron energy levels depend on the interaction between neutrons and electrons

Which of the following about the nuclear force is true?

• A. It is an attractive force between electrons and protons in an atom.

• B. It is an attractive force between electrons and neutrons in an atom.

• C. It is much weaker than the electromagnetic force.

• D. It is much weaker than the gravitational force.

• E. It is a strong, short-range, attractive force between the nucleons.

Isotopes of an element:

• A. have the same number of protons and electrons, but a different number of neutrons.

• B. have the same number of protons and neutrons, but a different number of electrons.

• C. have a different number of protons.

• D. have different numbers of electrons.

• E. have the same number of neutrons and protons

Binding energy is:

• A. the amount of energy required to break a nucleus apart into protons and neutrons.

• B. the amount of energy required to break a nucleus apart into protons and electrons.

• C. the amount of energy required to break a nucleus apart into electrons and neutrons.

• D. the amount of energy released when neutrons change energy levels.

• E. the amount of energy released when protons change energy levels.

When nucleons form a stable nucleus, binding energy is:

• A. created from nothing.

• B. destroyed into nothing.

• C. transformed into visible light.

• D. absorbed as high energy photons or particles.

• E. released as high energy photons or particles.

An isotope with a high Binding Energy per nucleon:

• A. will decay in a short period of time.

• B. is very unstable.

• C. is very stable.

• D. has very few electrons.

• E. has more protons than neutron

Why do heavier nuclei have a greater ratio of neutrons to protons than lighter nuclei?

• A. to add more nucleons so that the binding energy is greater.

• B. to provide a greater weak nuclear force.

• C. to provide a more attractive electromagnetic force.

• D. to provide a more attractive strong nuclear force to balance the repulsive electromagnetic force.

• E. to provide a more repulsive strong nuclear force to balance the attractive electromagnetic force.