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radioactivity

Total questions: 60

Worksheet time: 3600secs

Name
Class
Date
1.

A lithium nucleus contains 3 protons and 4 neutrons.

What is its nuclide notation?

a)
b)
c)
d)
2.

A nuclide is represented by the symbol PQ X.

How many neutrons are in one nucleus of the nuclide?

a)

P

b)

Q

c)

P + Q

d)

P – Q

3.

The graph shows how the count rate on a detector due to a radioactive source changes with time.

What is the count rate at 5.0 hours?

a)

960 counts per minute

b)

600 counts per minute

c)

150 counts per minute

d)

0 counts per minute

4.

A radioactive nucleus emits a β-particle.

What happens to the proton number (atomic number) of the nucleus?

a)

It stays the same.

b)

It increases by 1.

c)

It decreases by 2.

d)

It decreases by 4.

5.

A certain element has several isotopes.

Which statement about these isotopes is correct?

a)

They must have different numbers of electrons orbiting their nuclei.

b)

They must have the same number of neutrons in their nuclei.

c)

They must have the same number of nucleons in their nuclei.

d)

They must have the same number of protons in their nuclei.

6.

The graph shows how the decay rate of a radioactive source changes with time.


What will be the activity at 8 days?

a)

0 decays / s

b)

125 decays / s

c)

250 decays / s

d)

500 decays / s

7.

Radioactive materials should be handled carefully.

Which safety precaution does not reduce the risk to people using a radioactive material?

a)

keeping the material a long distance from people

b)

keeping the material at a low temperature

c)

using lead screening between the material and people

d)

using the material for only a short time

8.

A sample of a radioactive isotope has an initial rate of emission of 128 counts per minute and ahalf-life of 4 days.

How long will it take for the rate of emission to fall to 32 counts per minute?

a)

2 days

b)

4 days

c)

8 days

d)

12 days

9.

A powder contains 400 mg of a radioactive isotope that emits α-particles.

The half-life of the isotope is 5 days.

What mass of this isotope remains after 10 days?

a)

0 mg

b)

40 mg

c)

100 mg

d)

200 mg

10.

In a laboratory, a detector of ionising radiation records an average background count rate of

8 counts per second.

A radioactive source is now placed close to the detector. The count rate on the detector rises to

200 counts per second.


What is the count rate due to radiation from the radioactive source?

a)

25 counts /s

b)

192 counts / s

c)

200 counts / s

d)

208 counts / s

11.

A radioactive source produces a count rate on a detector of 1600 counts / s.

After 32 hours the count rate has fallen to 100 counts / s.

Both count rates have been corrected for background radiation.

What is the half-life of the source?

a)

2.0 hours

b)

6.4 hours

c)

8.0 hours

d)

16 hours

12.

A radioactive substance has a half-life of 2 weeks. At the beginning of an investigation, a sampleof the substance emits 3000 β-particles per minute.

How many β-particles will it emit per minute after 6 weeks?

a)

0

b)

375

c)

500

d)

1500

13.

The table shows the results of an experiment to find the half-life of a radioactive substance.


What is the half-life of the substance?

a)

60 seconds

b)

120 seconds

c)

180 seconds

d)

240 seconds

14.
Name the type of radioactive particle that can be stopped by a sheet of paper.
a)
alpha
b)
beta
c)
gamma
d)
lambda
15.
_______________ is the process by which unstable atoms emit radiation until they become stable.
a)
Radiation
b)
Chemical Reaction
c)
Radioactive Decay
d)
Isotopes
16.
Barium-122 has a half-life of 2 minutes. A fresh sample weighing 80 g was obtained. If it takes 10 minutes to set up an experiment using barium-122, how much barium-122 will be left when the experiment begins?
a)
0.25g
b)
2.5g
c)
25g
d)
80g
17.
The half-life of strontium-90 is 25 years. How much strontium-90 will remain after 100 years if the initial amount is 4.0 g?
a)
3.0g
b)
0.25mg
c)
0.3g
d)
0.25g
18.
what's the half life of this substance?
a)
1 day
b)
2 days
c)
3 days
d)
4 days
19.

What fraction of an isotope has decayed after 4 half lives?

a)

3/4

b)

7/8

c)

15/16

d)

1/2

20.
What is nuclear fission?
a)
Big nucleus splits to small nuclei
b)
Small nuclei fuse into a bigger nucleus
c)
Stars
d)
Making compounds
21.

When nuclei decay, massive amounts of __________ is released.

a)

energy

b)

electrons

c)

protons

d)

neutrons

22.

Nuclear power plants have many disadvantages. One of those disadvantages is...

a)

reduced CO2 emissions

b)

stable power

c)

nuclear waste

d)

reduced pollution to our atmosphere

23.

How can radioactivity be useful? =

a)

It can be used to microwave food

b)

It can be used in cancer treatments and pacemakers

c)

It can be used to create helpful gamma rays

d)

It can be used to create radioactive waste

24.

Mass defect is

a)

mass difference between mass of nucleon and mass of nucleus

b)

mass difference of nucleus before reaction and mass of nucleus after reaction

c)

energy required to separate completely all the nucleons in nucleus

d)

energy released in nuclear reaction

25.

What is the Half Life of this isotope?

a)

3 days

b)

5 days

c)

8 days

d)

10 days

26.

A certain radioactive sample has a half life of 2 years. After 6 years, how much of the sample is left?

a)

1/2

b)

1/3

c)

1/16

d)

1/8

27.

The half-life of Zn-71 is 2.4 minutes. If one had 100.0 g at the beginning, how many grams would be left after 2.4 minutes has elapsed?

a)

100.0g

b)

50.0g

c)

12.5g

d)

8.5g

28.

If 10 mg of iodine 131 is given to a patient, how much is left after 8 days? The half-life of iodine-131 is 8 days.

a)

5.0mg

b)

1.25g

c)

10g

d)

10mg

29.

The half-life of Zn-71 is 2.4 minutes. If one had 100.0 g at the beginning, how many grams would be left after 4.8 minutes has elapsed?

a)

100.0g

b)

25.0g

c)

12.5g

d)

8.5g

30.

If 10 mg of iodine 131 is given to a patient, how much is left after 16 days? The half-life of iodine-131 is 8 days.

a)

5.0mg

b)

2.5mg

c)

10g

d)

10mg

31.
In order of most to least penetrating radiation we have
a)
Alpha , Beta,  Gamma
b)
Beta , Gamma , Alpha
c)
Gamma, Beta, Alpha
d)
Gamma, Alpha, Beta
32.
Which type(s) of radiation would be affected by a magnet?
a)
alpha only
b)
beta only
c)
alpha and beta
d)
gamma only
33.
What type of nuclear reaction occurs in the Sun?
a)
Nuclear fission
b)
beta decay
c)
alpha decay
d)
Nuclear fusion
34.
In a nuclear reactor, electricity is produced from what element?
a)
Plutonium
b)
Uranium 235
c)
Radon 220
d)
Lead 232
35.

Identify the missing substance in each of the following nuclear reaction.

_____→13756 Ba + 0−1 e

a)

13755Ba

b)

13757La

c)

13856Ba

d)

13755Cs

36.

Cosmic radiation comes from ....

a)

Nuclear bombs

b)

Nuclear Power stations

c)

Space

d)

Earth's core

e)

Isotopes in objects

37.

Figure shows a radioactivity experiment carried out by a student. The results of the experiment are given in the table. The radiation emitted by the source are

a)

α-particles

b)

β-particles

c)

γ-rays

d)

α-particles and γ-rays

38.

The decay of radium-226 is given by the following formula. The energy released by the decay is

a)

2.64×1021J2.64\times10^{-21}J

b)

4.77×1019J4.77\times10^{-19}J

c)

5.99×1014J5.99\times10^{-14}J

d)

7.92×1013J7.92\times10^{-13}J

e)

6.65×1011J6.65\times10^{-11}J

39.

___________ starts the fission of a uranium atom.

a)

Energy

b)

Protons

c)

One Neutron

d)

All of the above

40.

What is the role of the control rods in a nuclear reactor?

a)

Absorb Gamma Radiation

b)

Release Alpha Particles

c)

Fuse Unstable Nuclei

d)

Absorb Neutrons

41.

What is the role of the moderator in an nuclear reactor?

a)

Increase kinetic energy of neutrons

b)

Watch out for nasty nasty comments posted by the neutrons

c)

Slow neutrons to thermal neutrons so they can be absorbed by uranium

d)

absorb neutrons so they do not go to create a chain reaction

42.

Ash was found to have 12.5% as much carbon-14 as found in similar ash. How long ago was the ash formed? The half-life of C-14 is 5730 years

a)

14080 years

b)

11460 years

c)

17190 years

d)

2865 years

43.

Nitrogen-13 has a half-life of 15 minutes. How much of a 320 gram sample of N-13 would remain after decaying 45 minutes?

a)

20g

b)

40g

c)

60g

d)

80g

44.

Radon has a half-life of 4 days. How long does it take for 16 grams of radon to be reduced to 2 grams of radon?

a)

6 days

b)

9 days

c)

10 days

d)

12 days

45.

Those patients who develop tyroid cancer are treated with a certain radioactive isotope before attending surgery. The isotope is ...

a)

As-74

b)

Tc-99

c)

I-131

d)

Na-24

46.

The radioactive surgery used in archaeology to date organic remains is...

a)

C-12

b)

U-238

c)

C-14

d)

U-235

47.

A beam of γ-rays passes between two charged metal plates as shown in the diagram. How do the γ-rays pass between the two charged plates?

a)

The rays are deflected in a direction perpendicular to the page

b)

The rays are deflected towards the negative plate.

c)

The rays are deflected towards the positive plate.

d)

The rays will continue in the same direction.

48.

The diagram shows a box used for storing radioactive sources. Which material is best for lining the box to prevent the escape of most radioactive emissions?

a)

aluminium

b)

copper

c)

lead

d)

steel

49.

Which of the following half-lives would be most suitable for a medical tracer used in a patient?

a)

3 minutes

b)

3 hours

c)

3 days

d)

3 years

50.
This is an example of ---
a)
Radioactive Decay
b)
Nuclear Fission
c)
Nuclear Fusion
d)
Fossil fuel reaction
51.

Radioactive decay is the _________ and _________ disintegration (decay) of an _________ nucleus to become a more stable nucleus by the emission of energetic particles/photons/radioactive radiations.

a)

controlled, spontaneous, unreactive

b)

spontaneous, random, unreactive

c)

controlled, random, unstable

d)

spontaneous, random, unstable

52.

The diagram above shows the visible tracks in a cloud chamber for

a)

alpha particles

b)

beta particles

c)

gamma rays

53.

During a nuclear fission, the amount of energy released is 1.650 x 10-3 J. What is the mass defect in the nuclear reaction? (Speed of light = 3.00 x 108 ms-1)

a)

5.5 x 10-12 kg

b)

9.075 x 10-15 kg

c)

1.833 x 10-20 kg

d)

3.025 x 10-23 kg

54.

Which radioactive detector device is not suitable to detect gamma ray?

a)

Spark counter

b)

Geiger-Muller tube

c)

Photographic film

d)

Cloud chamber

55.

Nuclide 21483 Bi undergoes a series of decays to become 20682 Pb. Determine the number of alpha particles and beta particles emitted in this decay series.

a)

2 alpha particles and 3 beta particles

b)

3 alpha particles and 4 beta particles

c)

3 alpha particles and 2 beta particles

d)

2 alpha particles and 4 beta particles

56.

A sample of protactinium-234 of mass 100 g has a half-life of 6.7 hours. What is the mass of decayed protactinium-234 after 20.1 hours?

a)

12.5 g

b)

25.0 g

c)

50.0 g

d)

87.5 g

57.

A bone found at an archaeological site has a carbon-14 activity which is 6.25% the activity of a live animal. What is the age of the bone? (Half-life of carbon-14 = 5730 years)

a)

5730 years

b)

11460 years

c)

17190 years

d)

22900 years

58.

Which of the following radioisotopes is used for detection of leaks in underground pipes?

a)

Uranium-238

b)

Sodium-24

c)

Phosphorus-32

d)

Bismuth-213

59.

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

60.

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