Quiz on Nuclear Chemistry

What is the half-life of uranium-238?

• 4.5 million years

• 4.5 billion years

• 4.5 thousand years

• 45 billion years

What happens during the alpha decay of uranium-238?

• It loses two protons and gains two neutrons

• It gains two protons and two neutrons

• It loses two protons and two neutrons

• It gains two neutrons

What is formed when uranium-238 undergoes its first alpha decay?

• Thorium-234

• Protactinium-234

• Uranium-235

• Thorium-232

Why is it difficult to transform mercury into gold by changing the number of protons in its nucleus?

• The nucleus is not stable enough

• The atomic mass is too high

• The nucleus of a stable atom is very strongly bound

• Gold and mercury are inert elements

Which of the following is NOT a reason why creating gold in a laboratory is considered impractical?

• Gold can only be sourced naturally.

• Gold created in a lab would be non-radioactive.

• Gold originates through nuclear fusion within supernovas.

• Gold created in a lab would need to be decontaminated.

What was the Manhattan Project?

• A research program to develop renewable energy sources.

• The codename for the US effort to build an atomic bomb.

• A secret operation to undermine enemy communications during World War II.

• A scientific initiative to discover elements similar to uranium.

What event in 1938 significantly impacted the scientific community and contributed to the development of nuclear weapons?

• The discovery of nuclear fusion.

• The invasion of Poland by Germany.

• The realization of the destructive potential of nuclear fission.

• The signing of a peace treaty in Europe.

Which step would NOT be part of the process involved in transforming a mercury atom into a gold atom?

• Shooting neutrons at the mercury atom.

• Adding a proton to the mercury atom.

• Allowing the nucleus to undergo radioactive decay.

• Decontaminating the nucleus so that it is no longer radioactive.

What property of uranium compounds allows them to act upon photographic plates even in reduced light conditions?

• They emit persistent radiation.

• They are highly magnetic.

• They generate visible light.

• They absorb all light.

According to the excerpt, what did M. Becquerel and other experimenters find about the persistence of uranium radiation?

• It decreases rapidly in intensity over time.

• It remains constant even after several years.

• It only lasts for a few months.

• It varies depending on the light exposure.