Multiple Choice
Identify the
letter of the choice that best completes the statement or answers the question.
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1.
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Radioactive materials have unstable
a. electrons. b. nuclei.
c. protons. d. neutrons.
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2.
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After
the nucleus of a radioactive element undergoes changes, the element can transform
into
a. a different isotope of the same element. b. an entirely
different element. c. both a and b d. neither a nor b
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3.
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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
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4.
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Which
of the following is not a type of nuclear radiation?
a. alpha
particles b. beta particles c. neutrons emission
d. X-rays
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5.
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The
type of nuclear radiation that can penetrate farthest through matter is
called
a. radons. b. gamma rays.
c. neutron emission. d. X-rays.
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6.
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The
process of nuclear change in an atom of radioactive material is called
a. nuclear
decay. b. isotopes. c. nuclear mass.
d. radon.
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7.
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Nuclear radiation refers to charged particles or energy emitted by an
unstable
a. proton. b. atom.
c. nucleus. d. isotope.
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8.
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In
alpha decay, the mass number of the atom before the decay
a. equals
the sum of the mass numbers of the products. b. does not change after the
decay. c. is the same as the atomic number. d. cannot be
determined.
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9.
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Alpha
particles are nuclei of
a. oxygen. b. nitrogen.
c. helium. d. radium.
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10.
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As
beta particles ionize they
a. lose energy. b. gain
energy. c. neither lose nor gain energy. d. none of the
above.
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11.
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In
this example of alpha decay, what is the mass number of radium before the
decay?
a. 226 b. 88 c. 222
d. 226 + 88 (314)
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12.
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In
this example, what are the chemical symbols of the products of the decay?
a. Ra and
Rn b. Ra and He c. Rn and He d. He is the only
product.
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13.
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During beta decay, a nucleus
a. gives up
two protons and two neutrons. b. maintains the same number of protons and
neutrons. c. loses a proton and gains a neutron. d. gains a proton
and loses a neutron.
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14.
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When
a nucleus undergoes nuclear decay by gamma rays, the atomic number of the
element
a. remains the same. b. increases by
one. c. decreases by one. d. increases by two.
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15.
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In
radioactive decay, with each successive half-life, half the remaining sample decays to form
another
a. nucleus. b. element.
c. life-form. d. proton.
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16.
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The
attractive force between protons and neutrons in a nucleus caused by the strong nuclear force acts
only
a. outside the nucleus. b. over a very short
distance. c. only in unstable isotopes.
d. intermittently.
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17.
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Nuclei with too many or too few neutrons are
a. never
found. b. unstable. c. unnatural.
d. stable.
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18.
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The
process of the production of lighter nuclei from heavier nuclei is called
a. mass
energy. b. fusion. c. magnetism.
d. fission.
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19.
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Fusion occurs when nuclei
a. split. b. combine. c. mutate.
d. gain energy.
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20.
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The
opposite reaction to fusion is called
a. beta
decay. b. alpha decay. c. fission. d. neutron
transmission.
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21.
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In
the equation E = mc2, "c" stands for
a. carbon. b. the total energy. c. the speed of
light. d. the size of the particle.
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22.
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Which
of the following events occurred first?
a. Einstein
presents the special theory of relativity. b. Hahn and Strassman discover nuclear
fission. c. Meitner and Frisch present their theory on the splitting of nuclei into
smaller elements. d. Fermi and his associates achieve the first controlled nuclear
reaction.
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23.
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A
fission chain reaction can be slowed by using materials that will
a. absorb
some of the neutrons. b. convert some of the neutrons to protons.
c. increase the rate of the neutron multiplication. d. decrease the amount of
available oxygen in the air.
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24.
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You
prepare a large screened-in box, inside which you place several dozen mouse traps. You set each trap
and on each mouse trap you place a ping pong ball. You then drop another ping pong ball into the box,
which sets off one of the mouse traps, which sets off other mouse traps, and so on. You have just
demonstrated
a. a chain reaction. b. fusion.
c. the theory of relativity. d. alpha decay.
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25.
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Background radiation can come from
a. the
sun. b. water. c. plants. d. all of the
above
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26.
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Our
body tissues are normally protected from most background radiation by
a. special
deflectors in the atmosphere. b. our outer skin. c. staying indoors
or in protected areas. d. special molecules within our bodies that fight
radiation.
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27.
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Radon-222 is produced
a. by smoking cigarettes. b. in
nuclear power plants. c. through a series of nuclear reactions of uranium-238 in
Earth’s crust. d. as a result of rotting wood in the basements of
houses.
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28.
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After
extensive radiation damage, a normal DNA molecule is likely to be rebuilt with an incorrect
sequencing of its
a. RNA. b. electrons.
c. nitrogen bases. d. alpha particles.
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29.
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Small
radioactive sources that are present in smoke detectors release
a. alpha
particles b. beta particles c. gamma rays
d. neutrons
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30.
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Short-lived isotopes like magnesium-28 that are used in fields such as geology,
agriculture, and medicine are called
a. trace elements.
b. radioactive tracers. c. carbon tracers. d. alpha-emitting
isotopes.
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31.
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The
particles that are released by the radioactive sources in smoke alarms have charge and produce
a(n)
a. odor. b. beam of light. c. electric
current. d. sound.
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32.
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Radioactive tracers are short-lived
a. drugs. b. isotopes. c. tumors.
d. rays.
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33.
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To
treat certain brain tumors, doctors can use small beams of ____ that are focused to kill only the
tumor cells.
a. X-rays b. beta rays c. alpha
rays d. gamma rays
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34.
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One
beneficial use of radioactive iodine-131 is in the treatment of
a. Graves’s disease. b. acne. c. radiation
sickness. d. leukemia.
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35.
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The
use of nuclear reactors to generate electricity is
a. decreasing rapidly. b. found only in the United
States. c. found in dozens of countries. d. totally
safe.
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36.
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According to current regulations, nuclear power plants in the US can be operated
for
a. 20 years. b. 40 years. c. 50
years. d. an indefinite length of time.
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37.
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The
ideal location for a radioactive-waste storage facility is one that is
a. in a
sparsely populated area. b. in an area free from earthquakes.
c. far away from ground water d. all of the above
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38.
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When
a fusion reactor for safely generating energy is developed, the element that could meet Earth's
energy demands for millions of years is
a. oxygen. b. nitrogen.
c. hydrogen. d. lithium.
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