Question 1

Which of the following statements best describes an isotope?

Accepted Answer

Atoms of the same element with different numbers of neutrons.

Question 2

What is the correct nuclear equation for the alpha decay of uranium-238?

Accepted Answer

$$^{238}_{92}U \$$rightarrow ^{234}$$_{90}Th $$+ ^{4}$$_{2}He$$

Question 3

A radioactive isotope emits a beta particle. What happens to its atomic number and mass number?

Accepted Answer

Atomic number increases by 1; mass number remains unchanged.

Question 4

Which type of radiation has no mass and no charge?

Accepted Answer

Gamma ray

Question 5

If the half-life of phosphorus-32 is 14 days, how much of a 16 g sample remains after 42 days?

Accepted Answer

2 g

Question 6

Which radioisotope is commonly used for archaeological dating?

Accepted Answer

Carbon-14

Question 7

What is the correct nuclear equation for the beta decay of carbon-14?

Accepted Answer

$$^{14}_{6}C \$$rightarrow ^{14}$$_{7}N $$+ ^{0}$$_{-1}e$$

Question 8

Which of the following best describes positron emission?

Accepted Answer

A proton is converted to a neutron and a positron is emitted.

Question 9

A patient receives a dose of 50 rem. What is the most likely biological effect?

Accepted Answer

Temporary decrease in white blood cell count.

Question 10

Which radioisotope is used to evaluate gall bladder function in medical imaging?

Accepted Answer

Technetium-99m

Question 11

What is the minimum amount of uranium-235 needed to sustain a chain reaction called?

Accepted Answer

Critical mass

Question 12

Which nuclear reaction is responsible for the energy produced in the sun?

Accepted Answer

Nuclear fusion

Question 13

Which of the following is true about gamma emission?

Accepted Answer

It causes no change in atomic number or mass number.

Question 14

A sample contains 100 mg of iodine-131 (half-life = 8 days). How much remains after 24 days?

Accepted Answer

12.5 mg

Question 15

Which unit measures the number of disintegrations per second?

Accepted Answer

Becquerel (Bq)

Question 16

Which imaging technique uses radioisotopes that emit positrons to monitor cancer treatment?

Accepted Answer

PET scan

Question 17

Which of the following statements about nuclear fusion is correct?

Accepted Answer

It requires extremely high temperatures and pressures.

Question 18

What is the main reason food is irradiated with gamma rays?

Accepted Answer

To kill any living organisms in the food.

Question 19

Which of the following best describes the effect of nuclear radiation on rapidly dividing cells?

Accepted Answer

It damages or kills rapidly dividing cells.

Question 20

Which of the following is a property of the half-life of a radioactive isotope?

Accepted Answer

It is a constant for a given isotope.

Chapter 10: Nuclear Chemistry – Study Notes

Study Guide - Practice Questions