$$^{3}_{1}\text{H} \$$rightarrow ^{3}$$_{2}\text{He} $$+ ^{0}$$_{-1}e$$

$$3 \times 5730 = 17,190\ \text{years}$$

$$^{131}\text{I} ($$Iodine-131)

Question 1

Which of the following statements best explains why gamma radiation is more penetrating than alpha or beta radiation?

Accepted Answer

Gamma radiation consists of high-energy photons with no mass or charge, allowing it to pass through most materials.

Question 2

A radioactive isotope has a half-life of 10 years. If you start with a 32 g sample, how much will remain after 30 years?

Accepted Answer

$$4\ 	ext{g}$$

Question 3

Which of the following nuclear reactions represents beta decay?

Accepted Answer

$$^{3}_{1}	ext{H} \$$rightarrow ^{3}$$_{2}	ext{He} $$+ ^{0}$$_{-1}e$$

Question 4

Which of the following is a real-world application of radioisotopes as tracers?

Accepted Answer

Detecting leaks in underground pipes using radioactive tracers.

Question 5

What is the main difference between chemical and nuclear reactions?

Accepted Answer

Nuclear reactions involve changes in the nucleus, often changing one element into another, while chemical reactions involve only electrons.

Question 6

A sample of carbon-14 has a half-life of 5730 years. If an artifact has one-eighth the carbon-14 activity of new wood, how old is the artifact?

Accepted Answer

$$3 	imes 5730 = 17,190\ 	ext{years}$$

Question 7

Which isotope is commonly used for thyroid diagnoses and therapy in nuclear medicine?

Accepted Answer

$$^{131}	ext{I} ($$Iodine-131)

Question 8

Which of the following best describes the process of artificial transmutation?

Accepted Answer

Bombarding stable nuclei with subatomic particles to create new elements.

Question 9

Which of the following statements about the Manhattan Project is correct?

Accepted Answer

It aimed to sustain nuclear fission, enrich uranium, make plutonium-239, and construct an atomic bomb.

Question 10

Which radioactive isotope is chemically similar to calcium and can accumulate in bones after a nuclear fallout?

Accepted Answer

Strontium-90

Question 11

What is the equation that relates mass and energy, as developed by Albert Einstein?

Accepted Answer

$$E = mc$$^{2}$$

Question 12

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

Accepted Answer

Nuclear fusion

Question 13

Which of the following best describes the effect of ionizing radiation on living cells?

Accepted Answer

It can remove electrons from molecules, forming ions and free radicals that disrupt cellular processes.

Question 14

Which of the following is true about the half-life of a radioactive substance?

Accepted Answer

It is the time required for half of the radioactive atoms in a sample to decay.

Question 15

Which of the following provides the best protection from gamma radiation?

Accepted Answer

Several centimeters of lead

Question 16

A 4.00 mg sample of cobalt-60 (half-life = 5.271 years) is used for radiation treatment. How much cobalt-60 remains after 15.813 years?

Accepted Answer

$$0.50\ 	ext{mg}$$

Question 17

Which of the following is NOT a property of nuclear reactions compared to chemical reactions?

Accepted Answer

Reaction rates are affected by temperature.

Question 18

Which of the following best describes a nuclear chain reaction?

Accepted Answer

Fission of one nucleus produces neutrons that cause the fission of other nuclei, leading to a self-sustaining process.

Question 19

Which of the following is a correct balanced nuclear equation for the alpha decay of plutonium-239?

Accepted Answer

$$^{239}_{94}	ext{Pu} \$$rightarrow ^{235}$$_{92}	ext{U} $$+ ^{4}$$_{2}	ext{He}$$

Question 20

Which of the following is a common early sign of radiation sickness in patients undergoing radiation therapy?

Accepted Answer

Nausea and vomiting

Nuclear Chemistry: Principles, Applications, and Impacts

Study Guide - Practice Questions