Nuclear Radiation and Decay Quiz

What causes a nucleus to become unstable?

• An excess of electrons

• A lack of protons

• Insufficient binding energy

• Too many neutrons

Why is carbon-12 more stable than carbon-14?

• It has more protons

• It has fewer electrons

• It has a higher atomic mass

• It has an equal number of protons and neutrons

What is the significance of the line of stability in nuclear physics?

• It indicates the number of electrons

• It shows the most stable configuration of protons and neutrons

• It measures the energy of radiation

• It predicts the speed of decay

What is the term for the process of an atom losing mass and energy?

• Fission

• Radioactive decay

• Nuclear fusion

• Ionization

What is the 'daughter' in radioactive decay?

• The energy released

• The remaining atom after decay

• The original unstable atom

• The emitted radiation

What happens to a nucleus after it undergoes radioactive decay?

• It gains more protons

• It loses all its neutrons

• It becomes more unstable

• It becomes more stable

What does high ionizing power of radiation imply?

• It can create new atoms

• It can strip electrons from atoms

• It can increase atomic mass

• It can stabilize nuclei

Why is radiation with high ionizing power dangerous to humans?

• It can cause mutations in DNA

• It can increase body temperature

• It can alter skin color

• It can change blood type

What makes nuclear radiation fundamentally random?

• It follows a predictable pattern

• It can be controlled by temperature

• It cannot be predicted which nucleus will decay

• It is influenced by magnetic fields

How does the randomness of radiation differ from rolling dice?

• Dice outcomes are always the same

• Radiation is not affected by external forces

• Dice outcomes are influenced by gravity

• Radiation randomness is not influenced by initial conditions