Quiz 1.4 Radioactivity

Which famous woman discovered two radioactive elements and won Nobel prizes for it?

• Marie Curie

• Helena Carter

• Marie Becquerel

• Rose Mendeleev

What is the only way one element can transmute?

• By changing its number of protons.

• By changing its number of electrons.

• By changing its number of neutrons.

• By releasing photons from its nucleus.

True or false. There is radioactivity in the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the food we eat.

• No! Impossible!

• Absolutely yes!

What type of radiation is the least penetrative and can be stopped by paper or skin?

• Alpha radiation

• Beta radiation

• Gamma radiation

• Delta radiation

The beta decay of Americum-241 produces ___.

• Neptunium-237

• Berkelium-245

• Curium-241

• Plutonium-241

The alpha decay of Iridium-192 makes ___.

• Rhenium-188

• Osmium-188

• Gold-196

• Platinum-193

Gamma radiation consists of the release of a(n) ___ from the nucleus.

• proton

• neutron

• electron

• photon

The time it takes for half an amount of radioactive material to decay is called ___.

• half-life

• half-time

• radio life

• microtime

Osmium-182 has a half-life of 21.5 hours. How many grams of a 10.0-gram sample have not yet decayed after exactly three half-lives?

• 5.00 grams

• 2.50 grams

• 1.25 grams

• 0.625 grams

Nuclear fission occurs when ___.

• a big radioactive nucleus splits

• two nuclei combine

• an alpha particle is released

• an atom gains too many electrons