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1

The diameter of an atom is approximately 10,000 times the diameter of its nucleus.
A)True
B)False
2

The difference between the mass number of an isotope and its atomic number is equal to the number of nucleons in the nucleus.
A)True
B)False
3

An element may have more than one mass number, but the mass number for a stable isotope is fixed.
A)True
B)False
4

The radioactive half-life of a substance is one-half of the time required for all the unstable atoms in that substance to decay.
A)True
B)False
5

In alpha decay, the mass number of an unstable isotope is reduced by 4 and the atomic number is reduced by 2.
A)True
B)False
6

The binding energy of an element is equivalent to the product of the mass defect and the square of the velocity of light.
A)True
B)False
7

In a balanced nuclear equation, the sum of the atomic numbers and the sum of the mass numbers must be the same on both sides of the nuclear equation.
A)True
B)False
8

In nuclear fission energy is emitted, whereas in nuclear fusion energy is absorbed.
A)True
B)False
9

The function of the moderator in a nuclear reactor is to slow down the nuclear fission process and thereby control the release of energy.
A)True
B)False
10

Isotopes are atoms that have the same
A)number of neutrons
B)atomic number
C)number of nucleons
D)atomic mass
11

The process by which a nucleus with a large mass number splits into lighter nuclei is called
A)fission
B)fusion
C)alpha decay
D)beta decay
12

In the mass spectrometer, the distance from the slit to the impact on the plate is 10 cm for isotope A and 12 cm for isotope B. The ratio of their masses MA/MB is approximately
A)0.83
B)0.93
C)1.2
D)1.33
13

If two light nuclei are fused in a nuclear reaction, the average energy per nucleon
A)increases
B)remains the same
C)decreases
D)cannot be determined
14

A sample of radioactive material contains N radioactive nuclei at a given instant. If the half-life is 20 s, how many unstable nuclei remain after 1 h?
A)N/2
B)N/4
C)N/6
D)N/8
15

When a beta-plus particle encounters an electron, they cancel each other and both disappear. This annihilation of matter produces two photons, each having an energy of approximately
A)0.466 MeV
B)0.511 MeV
C)0.931 MeV
D)1.02 MeV
16

A deuteron is a particle consisting of a neutron and a proton bound together by nuclear forces. If the rest mass of a deuteron is 3.34313 x 10-27 kg, the binding energy is approximately
A)2.22 MeV
B)3.11 MeV
C)4.44 MeV
D)6.22 MeV
17

In a nuclear reactor, which of the following is used to slow down the fast neutrons released in the fission process?
A)Moderator
B)Control rods
C)Radiation shielding
D)Heat exchanger
18

In general, the is defined as the energy required to break up a nucleus into its constituent protons and neutrons.
19

The half-life for alpha decay for deuterium is 10.2 s. One-fourth of the unstable atoms will remain after s.
20

An activity of is equal to 3.7 x 1010 disintegrations per second.
21

The is the total number of nucleons in the nucleus. It can be computed by adding the number of to the number of .
22

Basic components of a nuclear reactor are , , , , and .
23

In a nuclear fission, the fission fragments have a(n) mass number and hence a(n) binding energy per nucleon.
24

Isotopes are atoms that have the same but different .
25

A mass defect of 1 u is equivalent to an energy of .
26

Three quantities that must be conserved in a nuclear reaction are , , and .







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