Question 1

The Rutherford scattering experiment showed that:

Accepted Answer

A) light has both particle-like and wavelike properties 
B) atoms are electrically neutral 
C) the positive and negative charges in the atom are uniformly distributed throughout its volume 
D) the wavelength of scattered light depends on the scattering angle 
E) the atom consists of a very tiny, massive, positively charged nucleus surrounded by almost empty space 
A) light has both particle-like and wavelike properties 
B) atoms are electrically neutral 
C) the positive and negative charges in the atom are uniformly distributed throughout its volume 
D) the wavelength of scattered light depends on the scattering angle 
E) the atom consists of a very tiny, massive, positively charged nucleus surrounded by almost empty space

Question 2

A certain nucleus, after absorbing a neutron, emits a $\beta$- and then splits into two alpha particles.The (A, Z)of the original nucleus must have been:

Accepted Answer

A) 6, 2 
B) 6, 3 
C) 7, 2 
D) 7, 3 
E) 8, 4 
A) 6, 2 
B) 6, 3 
C) 7, 2 
D) 7, 3 
E) 8, 4

Question 3

Bombardment of 28Si (Z = 14)with alpha particles may produce:

Accepted Answer

A) "a proton and 31P (Z = 15)" 
B) "hydrogen and 32S (Z = 16)" 
C) "a deuteron and 27Al (Z = 13)" 
D) "helium and 31P (Z = 15)" 
E) "35Cl (Z = 17)" 
A) "a proton and 31P (Z = 15)" 
B) "hydrogen and 32S (Z = 16)" 
C) "a deuteron and 27Al (Z = 13)" 
D) "helium and 31P (Z = 15)" 
E) "35Cl (Z = 17)"

Question 4

A radioactive atom X emits a $\beta$- particle.The resulting atom:

Accepted Answer

A) must be very reactive chemically 
B) has an atomic number that is one more than that of X 
C) has a mass number that is one less than that of X 
D) has an atomic number that is one less than that of X 
E) is the same chemical element as X 
A) must be very reactive chemically 
B) has an atomic number that is one more than that of X 
C) has a mass number that is one less than that of X 
D) has an atomic number that is one less than that of X 
E) is the same chemical element as X

Question 5

The binding energy of a nucleus is the energy that must be supplied to:

Accepted Answer

A) remove a nucleon 
B) remove an alpha particle 
C) remove a beta particle 
D) separate the nucleus into its constituent nucleons 
E) separate the nucleus into a collection of alpha particles 
A) remove a nucleon 
B) remove an alpha particle 
C) remove a beta particle 
D) separate the nucleus into its constituent nucleons 
E) separate the nucleus into a collection of alpha particles

Question 6

The becquerel is the correct unit to use in reporting the measurement of:

Accepted Answer

A) the rate of decay of a radioactive source 
B) the ability of a beam of gamma ray photons to produce ions in a target 
C) the energy delivered by radiation to a target 
D) the biological effect of radiation 
E) none of the above 
A) the rate of decay of a radioactive source 
B) the ability of a beam of gamma ray photons to produce ions in a target 
C) the energy delivered by radiation to a target 
D) the biological effect of radiation 
E) none of the above

Question 7

At the end of 14 min, 1/16 of a sample of radioactive polonium remains.The corresponding half-life is:

Accepted Answer

A) (7/8)min 
B) (8/7)min 
C) (7/4)min 
D) (7/2)min 
E) (14/3)min 
A) (7/8)min 
B) (8/7)min 
C) (7/4)min 
D) (7/2)min 
E) (14/3)min

Question 8

Volumes of atomic nuclei are proportional to:

Accepted Answer

A) the mass number 
B) the atomic number 
C) the total nuclear spin 
D) the number of neutrons 
E) none of these 
A) the mass number 
B) the atomic number 
C) the total nuclear spin 
D) the number of neutrons 
E) none of these

Question 9

Rank the following collections of particles according to the total binding energy of all the particles in each collection, least to greatest.

Accepted Answer

A) 1,2,3 
B) 3,2,1 
C) 2,1,3 
D) 1,3,2 
E) 2,3,1 
A) 1,2,3 
B) 3,2,1 
C) 2,1,3 
D) 1,3,2 
E) 2,3,1

Question 10

Possible units for the disintegration constant $\lambda$ are:

Accepted Answer

A) kg/s 
B) s/kg 
C) hour 
D) day-1 
E) cm-1 
A) kg/s 
B) s/kg 
C) hour 
D) day-1 
E) cm-1

Question 11

A fly caught in amber is thought to be 3 million years old.Why would it not be useful to confirm its age using radiocarbon dating?

Accepted Answer

A) The fly contains no carbon. 
B) The fly is too small to contain a measurable amount of carbon. 
C) The fly is too old to contain a measureable amount of carbon-14. 
D) The carbon-14 doesn't begin to decay until the fly is removed from the amber. 
E) Radiocarbon dating is too inaccurate to be useful. 
A) The fly contains no carbon. 
B) The fly is too small to contain a measurable amount of carbon. 
C) The fly is too old to contain a measureable amount of carbon-14. 
D) The carbon-14 doesn't begin to decay until the fly is removed from the amber. 
E) Radiocarbon dating is too inaccurate to be useful.

Question 12

An alpha particle is:

Accepted Answer

A) a helium atom with two electrons removed 
B) an aggregate of two or more electrons 
C) a hydrogen atom 
D) the ultimate unit of positive charge 
E) sometimes negatively charged 
A) a helium atom with two electrons removed 
B) an aggregate of two or more electrons 
C) a hydrogen atom 
D) the ultimate unit of positive charge 
E) sometimes negatively charged

Question 13

The half-life of radium is about 1600 years.If a rock initially contains 1 g of radium, the amount left after 8000 years will be about:

Accepted Answer

A) 200 mg 
B) 63 mg 
C) 31 mg 
D) 16 mg 
E) less than 1 mg 
A) 200 mg 
B) 63 mg 
C) 31 mg 
D) 16 mg 
E) less than 1 mg

Question 14

Radioactive element A decays to the stable element B with a half-life T.Starting with a sample of pure A and no B, which graph below most correctly shows the number of A atoms, NA, as a function of time t?

Accepted Answer

A) I 
B) II 
C) III 
D) IV 
E) V 
A) I 
B) II 
C) III 
D) IV 
E) V

Question 15

Two protons are about 10-10 m apart.Their relative motion is chiefly determined by:

Accepted Answer

A) gravitational forces 
B) electrical forces 
C) nuclear forces 
D) magnetic forces 
E) torque due to electric dipole moments 
A) gravitational forces 
B) electrical forces 
C) nuclear forces 
D) magnetic forces 
E) torque due to electric dipole moments

Question 16

The gray is the correct unit to use in reporting the measurement of:

Accepted Answer

A) the rate of decay of a radioactive source 
B) the ability of a beam of gamma ray photons to produce ions in a target 
C) the energy delivered by radiation to a target 
D) the biological effect of radiation 
E) none of the above 
A) the rate of decay of a radioactive source 
B) the ability of a beam of gamma ray photons to produce ions in a target 
C) the energy delivered by radiation to a target 
D) the biological effect of radiation 
E) none of the above

Question 17

The half-life of a radioactive substance is:

Accepted Answer

A) half the time it takes for the entire substance to decay 
B) usually about 50 years 
C) the time for radium to change into lead 
D) calculated from E = mc2 
E) the time for half the substance to decay 
A) half the time it takes for the entire substance to decay 
B) usually about 50 years 
C) the time for radium to change into lead 
D) calculated from E = mc2 
E) the time for half the substance to decay

Question 18

Bromine, with atomic mass 79.942 u, is composed of nearly equal amounts of two isotopes, one of which contains 79 nucleons per atom.The mass number of the other isotope is:

Accepted Answer

A) 78 
B) 79 
C) 80 
D) 81 
E) 82 
A) 78 
B) 79 
C) 80 
D) 81 
E) 82

Question 19

A beta particle is:

Accepted Answer

A) a helium nucleus 
B) an electron or a positron 
C) a radioactive element 
D) any negative particle 
E) a hydrogen atom 
A) a helium nucleus 
B) an electron or a positron 
C) a radioactive element 
D) any negative particle 
E) a hydrogen atom

Question 20

The 66Cu (Z = 29)produced in a nuclear bombardment is unstable, changing to 66Zn (Z = 30)by the emission of:

Accepted Answer

A) a proton 
B) a gamma ray photon 
C) a positron 
D) an electron 
E) an alpha particle 
A) a proton 
B) a gamma ray photon 
C) a positron 
D) an electron 
E) an alpha particle

Exam 42: Nuclear Physics

The Rutherford scattering experiment showed that:

A certain nucleus, after absorbing a neutron, emits a β\betaβ - and then splits into two alpha particles.The (A, Z)of the original nucleus must have been:

Bombardment of 28Si (Z = 14)with alpha particles may produce:

A radioactive atom X emits a β\betaβ - particle.The resulting atom:

The binding energy of a nucleus is the energy that must be supplied to:

The becquerel is the correct unit to use in reporting the measurement of:

At the end of 14 min, 1/16 of a sample of radioactive polonium remains.The corresponding half-life is:

Volumes of atomic nuclei are proportional to:

Rank the following collections of particles according to the total binding energy of all the particles in each collection, least to greatest.

Possible units for the disintegration constant λ\lambdaλ are:

A fly caught in amber is thought to be 3 million years old.Why would it not be useful to confirm its age using radiocarbon dating?

An alpha particle is:

The half-life of radium is about 1600 years.If a rock initially contains 1 g of radium, the amount left after 8000 years will be about:

Radioactive element A decays to the stable element B with a half-life T.Starting with a sample of pure A and no B, which graph below most correctly shows the number of A atoms, NA, as a function of time t?

Two protons are about 10-10 m apart.Their relative motion is chiefly determined by:

The gray is the correct unit to use in reporting the measurement of:

The half-life of a radioactive substance is:

Bromine, with atomic mass 79.942 u, is composed of nearly equal amounts of two isotopes, one of which contains 79 nucleons per atom.The mass number of the other isotope is:

A beta particle is:

The 66Cu (Z = 29)produced in a nuclear bombardment is unstable, changing to 66Zn (Z = 30)by the emission of:

Measurement

Motion Along a Straight Line

Vector

Motion in Two and Three Dimensions

Force and Motion I

Force and Motion II

Kinetic Energy and Work

Potential Energy and Conservation of Energy

Center of Mass and Linear Momentum

Rotation

Rolling, Torque, and Angular Momentum

Equilibrium and Elasticity

Gravitation

Fluids

Oscillations

Waves I

Waves II

Temperature, Heat, and the First Law of Thermodynamics

The Kinetic Theory of Gases

Entropy and the Second Law of Thermodynamics

Electric Charge

Electric Fields

Gauss Law

Electric Potential

Capacitance

Current and Resistance

Circuits

Magnetic Fields

Magnetic Fields Due to Currents

Induction and Inductance

Electromagnetic Oscillations and Alternating Current

Maxwells Equations; Magnetism of Matter

Electromagnetic Waves

Images

Interference

Diffraction

Relativity

Photons and Matter Waves

More About Matter Waves

All About Atoms

Conduction of Electricity in Solids

Energy From the Nucleus

Quarks, Leptons, and the Big Bang

Filters

A certain nucleus, after absorbing a neutron, emits a $\beta$ ^- and then splits into two alpha particles.The (A, Z)of the original nucleus must have been:

Bombardment of ²⁸Si (Z = 14)with alpha particles may produce:

A radioactive atom X emits a $\beta$ ^- particle.The resulting atom:

Possible units for the disintegration constant $\lambda$ are:

Radioactive element A decays to the stable element B with a half-life T.Starting with a sample of pure A and no B, which graph below most correctly shows the number of A atoms, N_A, as a function of time t?

Two protons are about 10^-10 m apart.Their relative motion is chiefly determined by:

The ⁶⁶Cu (Z = 29)produced in a nuclear bombardment is unstable, changing to ⁶⁶Zn (Z = 30)by the emission of: