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Radioactivity

Total questions: 63

Worksheet time: 1hrs 11mins

Name
Class
Date
1.
The rate at which a radioactive element decays is its ____.
a)
quarter life
b)
whole life
c)
wonderful life 
d)
half life
2.
Where does radioactivity have application in our lives?
a)
Medicine
b)
Energy (electricity)
c)
Agriculture
d)
All of the above
3.
In a nuclear reactor, electricity is produced from what element?
a)
Plutonium
b)
Uranium 235
c)
Radon 220
d)
Lead 232
4.

The three types of nuclear radiation in order of decreasing penetrating power are

a)

alpha, beta, gamma

b)

alpha, gamma, beta

c)

beta, alpha, gamma

d)

gamma, beta, alpha

5.
Name the instrument used to detect radioactivity.
a)
voltmeter
b)
ohmeter
c)
seismograph
d)
geiger counter
6.
What makes something radioactive?
a)
elements with an atomic number above 81
b)
an unstable nucleus
c)
contaminated sewage
d)
It decays over time
7.
If the half life of a radioactive element is 100yrs, how long would it take for the radioactivity to reduce by one half?
a)
200yrs
b)
100yrs
c)
50yrs
d)
300yrs
8.

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

9.
_______________ is the process by which unstable atoms emit radiation until they become stable.
a)
Radiation
b)
Chemical Reaction
c)
Radioactive Decay
d)
Isotopes
10.
Marie Curie was the first woman to win a...
a)
Golden Globe
b)
Nobel Prize
c)
Oscar
d)
 Emmy Award
11.
Which particles make up the nucleus of an atom?
a)
protons and neutrons
b)
electrons and protons
c)
electrons, protons, and neutrons
d)
electrons and neutrons
12.
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
13.
Negatively charged particles emitted from a nucleus at a high speed are ____ .
a)
protons
b)
neutrons
c)
electrons
d)
protons and neutrons
14.

Which type of radiation releases an electron?

a)

Alpha radiation

b)

Beta radiation

c)

Gamma radiation

d)

Theta radiation

15.

What particle is released when an unstable isotope undergoes alpha radiation?

a)

a helium nucleus

b)

an electron

c)

a photon of light

d)

a neutron

16.
Which type(s) of radiation would be affected by a magnet?
a)
alpha only
b)
beta only
c)
alpha and beta
d)
gamma only
17.
Which type of radioactive decay is occurring in this equation? 
a)
Alpha decay
b)
beta decay
c)
gamma decay
d)
positron emission
18.

Which type of nuclear radiation can be stopped by a sheet of paper?

a)

Alpha

b)

Beta

c)

Gamma

19.

Which type of nuclear radiation can be stopped 60 cm of aluminum or 7 cm of lead?

a)

Alpha

b)

Beta

c)

Gamma

20.

A radioactive shoe is wrapped in 3mm of aluminum foil but radiation is still detected. What must be true?

a)

The shoe emits alpha radiation

b)

The shoe emits beta radiation

c)

The shoe emits gamma radiation

21.

A sample of Radium-228 decays from 100g to 12.5g. How many half lives did it experience?

a)

1

b)

2

c)

3

d)

4

22.

How much of a 250g sample would be left after 5 half lives?

a)

125g

b)

62.5g

c)

31.25g

d)

7.81g

23.

If the half life of Uranium-240 was 10 years, how long would it take for it to decay from 310g to 80g?

a)

10 years

b)

240 years

c)

20 years

d)

30 years

24.
Which is NOT a characteristic of gamma radiation?
a)
High energized photon of light
b)
Can be stopped by a sheet of aluminum foil
c)
Is the most harmful type of radiation to humans
d)
Our use of protection is concrete, or several inches of lead
25.
What is Half-life?
a)
The amount of time it takes for some of the nuclei in a sample of the isotope to decay
b)
The amount of time it takes for half the electrons in a sample of the isotope to decay
c)
The amount of time it takes for half the nuclei in a sample of the isotope to decay
d)
the amount of time it takes to double the nuclei in a sample of the isotope to decay
26.

What type of decay is shown here

23892U ---> 23490Th + 42He.

a)

alpha

b)

beta

c)

gamma

27.
After 4 half-lives, 1g of a sample of Krypton-85 remains unchanged.  What was the original mass of the sample?
a)
16g
b)
32g
c)
0.0625g
d)
4g
28.
The most dangerous type of radiation is the ____. 
a)
alpha particle
b)
gamma ray
c)
beta particle
d)
uranium
29.
Solve this equation for alpha decay.
85209At = ___ + 24He
a)
83205Bi
b)
86209Rn
c)
81207Tl
d)
85208At
30.
What is the symbol for an alpha particle?
a)
42He
b)
0-1e
c)
0+1 e
d)
10n
31.

The weakest radioactive emission is

a)

alpha

b)

beta

c)

gamma

32.

Which radiation carries no charge

a)

alpha

b)

beta

c)

gamma

33.

What stops beta radiation

a)

Paper

b)

Air

c)

Glass

d)

Aluminium 3mm or thicker

34.

External-beam radiation therapy for cancer patients is delivered in the form of a high radiation photon beam directed at cancer cells. What type of radiation provides the high energy photons that can penetrate deep into patients’ tissues?

a)

Alpha

b)

Beta

c)

Acids

d)

Gamma

35.

The half-life of Iodine-131 is 8 days. What does this mean?

a)

The lifespan of Iodine-131 is 8 days

b)

Iodine-131 takes 8 days to become a radioactive material

c)

Iodine-131 takes 8 days to decay to half the amount of its original amount

d)

Iodine-131 takes days to become a non-radioactive material

36.

Which of the following is a non-ionising radiation?

a)

X-ray

b)

Gamma Ray

c)

Microwave

d)

Beta Ray

37.

Which of the following is true about M?

a)

It is neutral

b)

Has high penetrating power

c)

Has high ionisation power

d)

Used to control thickness of metal

38.

All examples below were radioactive substance, except for....

a)

Uranium-235

b)

Radon-222

c)

Thorium-234

d)

Carbon-16

39.

Alpha particles.....

a)

are positively charged.

b)

consist of two protons and four neutrons.

c)

can penetrate any thickness of matter

d)

All of the above

40.

Gamma rays damage human cells/tissue.

a)

True

b)

False

41.

What is the Half life of this isotope?

a)

5 seconds

b)

10 seconds

c)

15 seconds

d)

20 seconds

42.

The Half Life of Californium 252 is 5 years.

a)

TRUE

b)

FALSE

43.

Why are some elements radioactive and some aren't?

a)

Because they are light

b)

Because they are heavy

c)

Because they are unstable

d)

Because they are stable

44.
Which type of radiation is the least ionising?
a)
alpha
b)
beta
c)
gamma
45.

This is the name for the type of radiation that naturally occurs in the environment and is generally safe.

a)

background radiation

b)

environmental radiation

c)

ionizing radiation

d)

acceptable radiation

46.

Which best describes gamma radiation?

a)

A helium nucleus.

b)

A fast moving electron.

c)

High frequency electromagnetic wave.

47.

Cosmic radiation comes from ....

a)

Nuclear bombs

b)

Nuclear Power stations

c)

Space

d)

Earth's core

e)

Isotopes in objects

48.

Flying in a plane increases your exposure to cosmic radiation

a)

true

b)

false

49.

Select the dangers associated with gamma rays.

a)

cancer

b)

mutating DNA

c)

heating of internal organs

d)

sun burn

50.

Nuclear power station accidents can cause...

a)

contamination to water and soil.

b)

earthquakes

c)

aliens to be attracted to earth

d)

drought

51.

This type of electromagnetic wave can be used to see inside luggage at an airport or in hospitals to see your bones.

a)

Gamma Rays

b)

Visible Light

c)

X Rays

d)

Infrared Rays

52.
Which part of the electromagnetic spectrum has high enough energy to cause damage to eyes and skin, and sometimes even cancer? 
a)
infrared light
b)
visible light
c)
ultraviolet light
d)
microwaves
53.

Match this image to the part of the electromagnetic spectrum used to produce it.

a)

gamma radiation

b)

microwaves

c)

x-rays

d)

visible light

e)

ultraviolet radiation

54.

Ionizing radiation has the ability to cause biological damage to our tissues. True or False

a)

True

b)

False

55.

Which is an example of man made radiation?

a)

Cosmic

b)

Radioactive decay

c)

Radon

d)

Nuclear power plant

56.

Which of the following are examples of ionising radiation?

a)

Gamma Rays

b)

Alpha particles

c)

Beta particles

57.
Cell Phones
a)
Ionizing Radiation
b)
Non Ionizing Raditation
58.
Nuclear Waste
a)
Ionizing Radiation
b)
Non Ionizing Raditation
59.

The diagram shows the paths of three different types of radiation, X, Y and Z.

Which row in the table correctly identifies X, Y and Z?

a)

Y is α-particles,Z is β-particles,X is γ-rays

b)

Z is α-particles,Y is β-particles,X is γ-rays

c)

Y is α-particles,X is β-particles,Z is γ-rays

d)

X is α-particles,Z is β-particles,Y is γ-rays

60.
Cancer can be treated with_______________waves.
a)
Penicillin
b)
Radio
c)
Infrared
d)
Gamma
61.
Nuclear weapons are examples of __________. 
a)
x-rays
b)
ultraviolet rays
c)
gamma rays
d)
infrared rays
62.

What type of wave creates sunburn?

a)

Uv

b)

Xray

c)

Gamma

d)

Infrared

63.
Which of these is not a method for safely handling radioactive materials?
a)
Pointing it away from yourself and others
b)
Spending as little time as possible with the radiation
c)
Picking it up using your hands
d)
Storing in a lead lined container

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