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Radioactivity Quiz

Total questions: 25

Worksheet time: 13mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

Which type of radiation is the most penetrating?

a)

Alpha

b)

Beta+

c)

Beta-

d)

Gamma

2.

Which type of radiation is a type of Electromagnetic Radiation?

a)

Alpha

b)

Beta-

c)

Beta+

d)

Gamma

3.

Which type of radiation is represented here?

a)

Alpha

b)

Beta-

c)

Beta+

d)

Gamma

4.

Which type of radiation involves a neutron breaking down into a proton and electron?

a)

Alpha

b)

Beta-

c)

Beta+

d)

Gamma

5.

Which type of radiation involves the mass number of the decaying atom staying constant but the proton number decreasing by one.

a)

Alpha

b)

Beta-

c)

Beta+

d)

Gamma

6.

An unstable atom is said to be...

(a)  

7.

Which of the following about Geiger and Marsden's experiment was not a finding?

a)

Most of the alpha particles went straight through the gold atoms

b)

A small number of alpha particles were reflected back

c)

A small number of alpha particles were deflected

d)

A small number of alpha particles were absorbed by the nucleus

8.

Which Physicist argued that electrons could exist at different "energy levels"?

a)

Bohr

b)

Thompson

c)

Mendeleev

d)

Rutherford

9.

Which of the following completes the sentence..."half-life is the..."

a)

"length of time it takes the radioactivity to decrease by a half"

b)

"length of time it takes for the first half of a substances atoms to decay"

c)

"length of time it takes for half of an atom to decay"

d)

"half of the time it takes for all of of the radioactive atoms to decay"

10.

Here is the decay curve for C-14. How much of a sample of C-14 would be left if its age were 10,000 years?

a)

40%

b)

35%

c)

30%

d)

255

11.

Why can't C-14 be used to determine the age of recently deceased objects?

a)

Not enough of the C-14 would have decayed to give an accurate result

b)

Too much of the C-14 would have decayed

c)

C-14 does not start decaying until the organism has been dead for many years

d)

C-14 is not part of living organisms

12.

What type of radioactive source would be best for use as a medical tracer?

a)

Alpha

b)

Beta

c)

Gamma

13.

Why would a medical tracer require a short half-life?

a)

Short half life sources are cheap

b)

Reduces the chance of causing mutations

c)

It is needed in the body for a long time

d)

These sources are easier to pick up with a scanner

14.

Why would doctors prefer to use multiple gamma rays when treating cancer?

a)

Each individual ray can be made weaker but for a large total effect

b)

Each individual ray can be made weaker for a reduced total effect

c)

Each individual ray can be made stronger for an increased total effect

d)

Each individual way can be made stronger for a reduced total effect

15.

What process involves splitting nuclei?

a)

Fission

b)

Fusion

c)

Decay

d)

Transmutation

16.

Which part of the nuclear reactor is responsible for reducing the rate of fission?

a)

Graphite moderator

b)

Boron Control Rods

c)

Water

d)

Uranium rods

17.

What is this process?

a)

Fission

b)

Fusion

c)

Decay

d)

Transmutation

18.

Why can't fusion be used on Earth as a means of generating electricity?

a)

It would require too much energy

b)

It would not release enough energy

c)

There is not enough of a fuel supply

d)

It would produce too much radioactive waste

19.

Which of the following are reasons Fusion cannot be used on Earth as a means of generating electricity?

a)

Requires too high a temperature

b)

Requires too high pressure

c)

Produces too much waste

d)

Too much risk of an explosion

20.

Which of the following is not a stage involved in the disposal of radioactive waste?

a)

Left to cool in water

b)

Encased in reinforced concrete

c)

Buried deep underground

d)

Treated with anti-radioactive chemicals

21.

The spontaneous disintegration of unstable nuclei is called...

a)

Radioactivity

b)

Radiation

c)

Fission

d)

Fusion

22.

Which of the following best explains alpha particles lack of penetrating power

a)

The particles are too large and so collide with particles in the air

b)

The alpha particles have too much energy and so are attracted by other particles

c)

They have a charge of 2+

d)

They do not consist of electrons

23.

Fast moving electrons are known as...

a)

Beta- particles

b)

Beta+ particles

c)

Alpha particles

d)

Gamma rays

24.

Alpha emission occurs in atoms with...

a)

an atomic number greater than 83

b)

an atomic number of exactly 83

c)

an atomic number of less than 83

25.

Why can only alpha radiation be used in smoke detectors

a)

It is required to ionise the air in a detector and be absorbed by the smoke

b)

It is the only type of radiation which would not be absorbed by the smoke

c)

It is the least dangerous type of rdiation

d)

Other types of radiation would be able to leave the detector and pose a threat to the people in the house