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Atomic Physics

Total questions: 50

Worksheet time: 27mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

Which statement is MOST LIKELY true?

a)

Ernest Rutherford's experiment led to the nuclear model of the atom.

b)

Ernest Rutherford's experiment established the plum pudding model of the atom.

c)

Robert Millikan's postulates form the most accepted theory for the atomic structure.

d)

Robert Millikan's results had little impact on determining of the charge of the electron.

2.

Which conclusion could be made from Ernest Rutherford’s gold foil experiment?

a)

Atoms are made up of mostly empty space.

b)

Atoms are mainly solid and block alpha particles.

c)

The volume of the nucleus is large compared to the rest of the atom.

d)

The mass of the nucleus is small compared to the rest of the atom.

3.

What did Ernest Rutherford’s gold foil experiment demonstrate about atoms?

a)

Their positive charge is located in a small region that is called the nucleus.

b)

Their negative charge is located in small particles that are called electrons.

c)

Their nucleus makes up the majority of the volume of the atom.

d)

Their electrons are floating in a sea of positive charges.

4.
Ernest Rutherford discovered that the atom was mostly _________________ and has a _______________ charged nucleus.
a)
empty space, positively
b)
empty space, negatively
c)
full of protons, positively
d)
full of neutrons, negatively
5.
Which experiment taught us that atoms are mostly empty space and have a positively charged nucleus?
a)
Plum Pudding Model
b)
Cathode Ray Tube
c)
Gold Foil Experiment
d)
Planetary Model
6.
If an atom is charged positively, it has...?
a)
gained protons
b)
lost protons
c)
gained electrons
d)
lost electrons
7.
If an atom has extra neutrons, it is called a?
a)
Isotope
b)
Ion
c)
Cation
d)
Anion
8.

What does the mass number tell you about an atom of that element?

a)

The number of protons in the nucleus

b)

The number of protons-the number of neutrons

c)

The number of protons + neutrons in the nucleus

d)

The number of protons and electrons in the atom. This is always the same.

9.

There are 2 numbers associated with every element on the periodic table. Which one will always be bigger?

a)

The atomic number

b)

The mass number

c)

The bottom number

d)

The top number

10.

What does the atomic number tell you about the atom of that element?

a)

The number of neutrons - protons in the nucleus of the atom

b)

The number of protons+neutrons in the nucleus

c)

The number of neutrons in the nucleus

d)

The number of protons in the nucleus

11.

What type of ion will this Aluminium atom form when it becomes an ion?

a)

3+ ion

b)

3- ion

c)

5+ ion

d)

5- ion

12.

When the isotope 5024X releases an alpha particle we get another element Y that looks like

a)

5022Y

b)

4622Y

c)

4820Y

d)

5426Y

13.

When the isotope 5024X releases a beta particle we get another element, Y, that looks like

a)

5023Y

b)

4622Y

c)

5025Y

d)

5024Y

14.

What is meant by the statement that 3215P has a half life of 14 days

a)

It takes 7 days to go down to 50% radioactivity each time

b)

It takes 14 days to lose 50% of its current isotope

c)

After 14 days it starts to become less radioactive

d)

It takes 14 days to go up by 50% radioactivity each time

15.

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

16.
The half life of Thorium-234 is 24 days. What fraction of the element remains after 96 days
a)
1/2
b)
1/4
c)
1/8
d)
1/16
17.
Which type of nuclear radiation is being emitted here?
a)
Alpha
b)
beta
c)
gamma 
d)
none
18.
Has the symbol
a)
Alpha
b)
Beta
c)
Gamma
19.
Has the symbol
a)
Alpha
b)
Beta
c)
Gamma
20.
Has the symbol
a)
Alpha
b)
Beta 
c)
Gamma
21.

Which type of radioactive decay gives off energy only (no particles)?

a)

alpha

b)

beta

c)

gamma

22.

Complete the nuclear equation and determine the type of decay that is occurring in this reaction.

a)

alpha, 42He

b)

beta, 0-1e

c)

gamma

d)

none

23.
The time taken for half of an amount of radioactive atoms to decay.
a)
Nuclear fusion
b)
Full-life
c)
Dead time
d)
Half-life
24.
Alpha particles have a _____ charge.
a)
+2
b)
0
c)
+1
d)
-1
25.

Beta particles have a _____ charge.

a)

+2

b)

0

c)

+1

d)

-1

26.

Which type of radiation can be found on the electromagnetic spectrum?

a)

alpha

b)

beta

c)

gamma

27.
What would two different isotopes of an atom have in common?
a)
Number of neutrons 
b)
Number of protons
c)
Atomic weight 
d)
Atomic mass
28.
What happens when the number of protons in an atom changes? 
a)
The number of electrons changes too 
b)
Usually nothing happens, unless the atom is radioactive 
c)
The atomic nucleus explodes
d)
It becomes a completely different atom, with different properties 
29.
If a sulfur atom has 16 protons, 16 electrons, and 16 neutrons, its atomic mass is:
a)
16
b)
32
c)
48
d)
64
30.

Which source of background radiation does NOT contribute significantly to the annual radiation dose received by an average person?

a)

Radon gas

b)

Food and drink

c)

Nuclear waste

d)

Cosmic rays

31.

Which of the following is not a type of radiation detectors?

a)

Geiger Muller counter

b)

Proportional counter

c)

Semiconductor detector

d)

Flame emission detector

32.

Which statement is true for all three types of radioactive emission?

a)

They are deflected by electric fields

b)

They ionise gases

c)

They are completely absorbed by a thin aluminium sheet

d)

They emit light

33.

When a neutron leaves the nucleus, it’s mass

a)

Triples

b)

Decreases

c)

Increases

d)

Stays the same

34.

A Geiger-Muller tube is a _____ .

a)

gas ionization detector

b)

cloud chamber

c)

fluorescence detector

d)

spectrophotometer

35.
What is the structure of an alpha particle?
a)
An electron
b)
A neutron
c)
Two protons and two neutrons. This is the same as a helium nucleus.
d)
An electromagnetic wave
36.
Which type of radiation is the least penetrating?
a)
Alpha
b)
Beta
c)
X-ray
d)
Gamma
37.

Which type of radiation travels the furthest in air?

a)

Alpha

b)

Beta

c)

Sound

d)

Gamma

38.
What charge is an alpha particle?
a)
It's a wave, it has no charge
b)
Neutral (no charge)
c)
Positively charged.
d)
Negatively charged.
39.
What device detects radiation?
a)
A Muller-Corner tube.
b)
A Geiger-Muller tube.
c)
A U-tube.
d)
A Rutherford tube.
40.
What material can be used to absorb alpha radiation?
a)
Thin aluminium (a few mm thick)
b)
Thick lead or concrete
c)
A piece of wood
d)
A sheet of paper
41.
What is the range of alpha radiation in air?
a)
A few centimetres (up to 5 cm)
b)
About 1 metre
c)
100 metres
d)
More than 1km (almost infinite)
42.
What material can be used to absorb beta radiation?
a)
Thick lead or concrete
b)
Thin aluminium (a few mm thick)
c)
A sheet of paper
d)
A piece of wood
43.

What is the range of beta radiation in air

a)

A few centimetres (up to 5 cm)

b)

A few metres

c)

100 metres

d)

More than 1km (almost infinite)

44.

What material can be used to absorb gamma radiation?

a)

Thin aluminium (a few mm thick)

b)

Thick lead or concrete

c)

A piece of wood

d)

A sheet of paper

45.

Which radiation is the most penetrating?

a)

Alpha

b)

Beta

c)

Sound

d)

Gamma

46.
What happens to an atom when it is ionised?
a)
It loses or gains neutrons
b)
It loses or gains electrons
c)
It loses or gains protons
d)
It disappears
47.
Which radiation is the most ionising?
a)
Alpha
b)
Beta
c)
X-ray
d)
Gamma
48.
What is the structure of a beta particle?
a)
An electron
b)
A neutron
c)
Two protons and two neutrons. This is the same as a helium nucleus.
d)
An electromagnetic wave
49.
Which type of nuclear radiation is not a particle?
a)
Alpha
b)
Beta
c)
Gamma
d)
Neutron
50.

As well as alpha, beta and gamma radiation, the nucleus can also emit...

a)

Sound

b)

A neutron

c)

Isotopes

d)

Half-life