Question 1

Which of the following statements best describes the difference between chemical and nuclear reactions?

Accepted Answer

Chemical reactions involve changes in electron arrangements, while nuclear reactions involve changes in the nucleus that can result in the transformation of one element into another.

Question 2

Which type of radioactive decay results in the emission of a particle with a charge of $+2$ and a mass number of $4$?

Accepted Answer

Alpha decay

Question 3

A nuclide of $^{216}\mathrm{Po}$ undergoes alpha decay. What is the nuclear equation for this process?

Accepted Answer

$^{216}\mathrm{Po} \rightarrow ^{212}\mathrm{Pb} + ^{4}\mathrm{He}$

Question 4

Which of the following best explains why gamma rays have high penetrating power but low ionizing power?

Accepted Answer

Gamma rays have no mass and no charge, allowing them to pass through matter easily but interact less frequently with atoms.

Question 5

A radioactive isotope has a half-life of $2.86$ years. If you start with $1.35$ mg, how much remains after $5.00$ years?

Accepted Answer

$0.402$ mg

Question 6

Which of the following nuclides is most likely to undergo beta decay based on its neutron-to-proton ratio ($N/Z$)?

Accepted Answer

$^{28}\mathrm{Mg}$ (N/Z = 1.33)

Question 7

Which equation correctly represents positron emission from $^{22}\mathrm{Na}$?

Accepted Answer

$^{22}_{11}\mathrm{Na} \rightarrow ^{22}_{10}\mathrm{Ne} + ^{0}_{+1}\mathrm{e}$

Question 8

A bone contains one-eighth the amount of $^{14}\mathrm{C}$ found in living organisms. How old is the bone? (Half-life of $^{14}\mathrm{C}$ is $5730$ years.)

Accepted Answer

$17,190$ years

Question 9

Which of the following is true about the products of nuclear fission in power plants?

Accepted Answer

They are radioactive and often have very long half-lives.

Question 10

Which process is responsible for the energy produced by the sun?

Accepted Answer

Nuclear fusion of hydrogen isotopes

Question 11

Which of the following best describes the role of a moderator in a nuclear reactor?

Accepted Answer

It slows down neutrons to sustain the chain reaction.

Question 12

A sample initially contains $1.6$ moles of a radioactive isotope. How many moles remain after four half-lives?

Question 13

Which of the following is a correct application of the integrated rate law for radioactive decay?

Accepted Answer

$\ln\left(\frac{N_t}{N_0}\right) = -kt$

Question 14

Which of the following statements about the dangers of radiation is correct?

Accepted Answer

Short-term exposure to high doses can cause acute radiation sickness and death.

Question 15

Which of the following is a real-world application of radioactivity in medicine?

Accepted Answer

Positron emission tomography (PET) scans using radioisotopes to visualize organ function.

Question 16

Which nuclear equation represents the transmutation of $^{14}\mathrm{N}$ by alpha bombardment to produce $^{17}\mathrm{O}$?

Accepted Answer

$^{14}\mathrm{N} + ^{4}\mathrm{He} \rightarrow ^{17}\mathrm{O} + ^{1}\mathrm{H}$

Question 17

A person ingests equal amounts of two beta-emitting nuclides. Nuclide A has a half-life of $3.5$ hours, Nuclide B has a half-life of $15$ hours, and both are eliminated from the body within $24$ hours. Which nuclide produces the greater radiation dose?

Accepted Answer

Nuclide A

Question 18

Which of the following is true about the conservation laws in nuclear equations?

Accepted Answer

Both the sum of atomic numbers and the sum of mass numbers must be equal on both sides of the equation.

Question 19

Which of the following best explains why nuclear fusion is not yet widely used for electricity generation?

Accepted Answer

It requires extremely high temperatures and powerful magnetic fields to overcome the repulsion between nuclei.

Radioactivity and Nuclear Chemistry: Study Notes

Study Guide - Practice Questions

Study Guide - Flashcards