4 Nuclear Instability

What is nuclear decay?

• The process of gaining stability by an atom through the loss of energy

• The process of an atom splitting into two smaller atoms

• The process of an atom gaining protons

• The process of an atom losing energy by emitting radiation

What is an isotope?

• Atoms of the same element with different numbers of electrons

• Atoms of different elements with the same number of neutrons

• Atoms of the same element with different numbers of neutrons

• Atoms of different elements with the same number of protons

What is the term used to describe the time it takes for half of a radioactive substance to decay?

• Half-life

• Decay constant

• Radioactive period

• Isotopic age

In beta minus decay, a neutron is converted into a proton and which other particle is emitted?

• Alpha particle

• Beta particle

• Gamma ray

• Positron

Which of the following isotopes is commonly used in radiocarbon dating?

• Uranium-238

• Carbon-14

• Potassium-40

• Thorium-232

What does the term "radioactive decay chain" refer to?

• The sequence of steps by which a radioactive nucleus decays into a stable nucleus

• The process of emitting only gamma rays until stability is achieved

• The simultaneous decay of all isotopes of an element

• The emission of alpha particles only

Which of the following is NOT a factor affecting nuclear stability?

• The ratio of neutrons to protons

• The total number of nucleons

• The presence of electron shielding

• The energy of the nucleus

Beta plus emission changes the nucleus by......

• increases proton number by 1

  does not change nucleon number

• decreases proton number by 1

  does not change nucleon number

• increases proton number by 1

  increases nucleon number by 1

• does not change proton number

  does not change nucleon number

alpha decay will occur if the ......

• ratio of protons to neutrons is too large

• the ration of neutrons to protons is too large

beta minus decay will occur if the ......

• ratio of protons to neutrons is too large

• the ration of neutrons to protons is too large