1

The nucleus of one of the isotopes of nickel is represented by 60

28 Ni.
Which line in the table correctly describes a neutral atom of this isotope?

number of protons

number of neutrons

number of orbital
electrons

28

32

28

28

60

28

60

28

28

60

32

32

A nucleus of bohrium xy Bh decays to mendelevium

emissions.

255 Md
101

by a sequence of three -particle

bohrium xy Bh dubnium +
lawrencium +
mendelevium 255
101 Md +
How many neutrons are there in a nucleus of xy Bh?
267

261

160

154

Which set of radioactive emissions corresponds to the descriptions given in the table headings?
high-speed
electrons

high-speed
helium nuclei

high-frequency
photons

Compiled nd rearrnged by Sjit Chandra Shakya

Strontium- 90 (90
38Sr) is radioactive and emits -particles.
Which equation could represent this nuclear decay?

90Sr
38

0
90
39Sr + 1

90Sr
38

0
90
39Y + 1

90Sr
38

0
90
37Rb + 1

90Sr
38

0
90
37Sr + 1

Protons and neutrons are thought to consist of smaller particles called quarks.
The up quark has a charge of 2 e : a down quark has a charge of 1 e, where e is the
3
3
19
elementary charge (+1.6 x 10 C).
How many up quarks and down quarks must a proton contain?

up quarks

down quarks

A nucleus of the nuclide 241

94 Pu decays by emission of a -particle followed by the emission of an
-particle.
Which of the nuclides shown is formed?
A

239
91Pa

237
93 Np

237
92 U

Which two nuclei contain the same number of neutrons?

A

12
6C

and

14
6C

16
7N

and

15
8O

23
11 Na

32
14 Si

and
and

24
12 Mg
32
15 P

Compiled nd rearrnged by Sjit Chandra Shakya

239
93 Np

A thin gold foil is bombarded with -particles as shown.

incident -particles

gold foil

The results of this experiment provide information about the

binding energy of a gold nucleus.

energy levels of electrons in gold atoms.

size of a gold nucleus.

structure of a gold nucleus.

Isotopes of a given element all have the same

A

charge / mass ratio.

neutron number.

nucleon number.

proton number.

217
85 At

What is the nuclide X?

A

213
85

At

215
77 Ir

209
82 Pb

217
81Tl

Compiled nd rearrnged by Sjit Chandra Shakya

10 The following represents a sequence of radioactive decays involving two -particles and one
-particle.

11 A student conducts an experiment using an -particle source.

When considering safety precautions, what can be assumed to be the maximum range of
-particles in air?
A

between 0 and 5 mm

between 5 mm and 200 mm

between 200 mm and 500 mm

between 500 mm and 1000 mm

12 What is a correct order of magnitude estimate for the diameter of a typical atomic nucleus?
A

1014 m

1018 m

1022 m

1026 m

13 The decay of a nucleus of neptunium is accompanied by the emission of a -particle and

-radiation.
What effect (if any) does this decay have on the proton number and the nucleon number of the
nucleus?
proton number

nucleon number

increases

decreases

decreases

increases

unchanged

decreases

increases

unchanged

14 Radon-220 is radioactive and decays to Polonium-216 with the emission of an -particle. The
equation for the radioactive decay is shown.
220
86 Rn

216
84 Po

+ 42 He

Rn

Po

86

84

134

132

220

212

220

216

Compiled nd rearrnged by Sjit Chandra Shakya

How many neutrons are in the radon and polonium nuclei?

15 A detector is exposed to a radioactive source. Fluctuations in the count-rate are observed.

What do these fluctuations indicate about radioactive decay?
A

It is random.

It is spontaneous.

It is exponential.

It is non-linear.

16 The symbol 77
32 Ge represents a nucleus of germanium that decays to a nucleus of arsenic by
emitting a -particle.
What is the symbol of this arsenic nucleus?
A

76
32 As

78
32 As

78
31 As

77
33 As

17 Each of the nuclei below is accelerated from rest through the same potential difference.
Which one completes the acceleration with the lowest speed?
A

1
1

4
2 He

7
3 Li

9
4 Be

18 A radioactive nucleus is formed by -decay. This nucleus then decays by -emission.

Which graph of proton number Z plotted against nucleon number N shows the -decay followed
by the -emission?

A
236

236
N

N
234

234

232

232

88

90

88

94

92

90

92

94
Z

Z
D

C
236

236
N

N
234

234

232

232
230

230
88

90

92

94
Z

88

90

92

94
Z

Compiled nd rearrnged by Sjit Chandra Shakya

230

230

19 What is the approximate mass of a nucleus of uranium?

A

1015 kg

1020 kg

1025 kg

1030 kg

20 The numbers of protons, neutrons and nucleons in three nuclei are shown.

nucleus

number of
protons

number of
neutrons

number of
nucleons

15

16

31

15

17

32

16

16

32

Which nuclei are isotopes of the same element?

A

X and Y

X and Z

Y and Z

none of them

21 In an experiment to investigate the nature of the atom, a very thin gold film was bombarded with
-particles.
What pattern of deflection of the -particles was observed?
A

A few -particles were deflected through angles greater than a right angle.

All -particles were deflected from their original path.

Most -particles were deflected through angles greater than a right angle.

No -particle was deflected through an angle greater than a right angle.

22 When a nucleus of 238

92 U absorbs a slow neutron it subsequently emits two -particles.
What is the resulting nucleus?
240 Np
93

240 Pa
91

239 Pu
94

239Th
90

23 Which conclusion can be drawn from the results of the experiment showing the scattering of
-particles by gold foil?
A

Electrons orbit the atomic nucleus in well-defined paths.

Nuclei of different isotopes contain different numbers of neutrons.

The atomic nucleus contains protons and neutrons.

The nucleus is very small compared with the size of the atom.

Compiled nd rearrnged by Sjit Chandra Shakya

24 A nickel nucleus 59
28Ni can be transformed by a process termed K-capture. In this process the
nucleus absorbs an orbital electron.
If no other process is involved, what is the resulting nucleus?
A

58Ni
28

58Co
27

59Co
27

59Cu
29

25 An atomic nucleus emits a -particle.

What change does this cause to the proton and nucleon numbers of the nucleus?
proton number

nucleon number

+1

+1

+1

26 Which are the correct descriptions of a -ray and a -particle?

-ray

-particle

high-speed electron

electromagnetic radiation

electromagnetic radiation

Helium-4 nucleus

electromagnetic radiation

high-speed electron

high-speed electron

Helium-4 nucleus

27 A certain nuclide, Uranium-235, has nucleon number 235, proton number 92 and neutron number
143. Data on four other nuclides are given below.

nucleon number

proton number

neutron number

235

91

144

236

92

144

237

94

143

238

95

143

Compiled nd rearrnged by Sjit Chandra Shakya

Which is an isotope of Uranium-235?

28 The symbol 77
32 Ge represents a nuclide of germanium that decays to a nuclide of arsenic (As)
by emitting a -particle.
What is the symbol of this arsenic nuclide?
A

76
32 As

78
32 As

78
31 As

77
33 As

29 The table shows three properties of different types of ionising radiation.

X

charge

1 e

+2 e

mass

speed

1 u
1840
~0.9 c

4u
~0.1 c

What are the radiations X, Y and Z?

X

alpha

beta

X-rays

gamma

alpha

beta

gamma

beta

alpha

X-rays

alpha

beta

30 A nuclear reaction is represented by the equation

16
8O

+ 42 He

19
9F

+ X.

an -particle

a -particle

a neutron

a proton

31 A nucleus Q has the notation yx Q .

Which of the following is an isotope of Q?
A

y 1
xQ

y
x 1 Q

y
x +1Q

y 1
x +1Q

Compiled nd rearrnged by Sjit Chandra Shakya

What is particle X?

32 Two -particles with equal energies are fired towards the nucleus of a gold atom.
Which diagram best represents their paths?

gold nucleus

gold nucleus

gold nucleus

gold nucleus

33 How is it possible to distinguish between the isotopes of uranium?

Their nuclei have different charge and different mass, and they emit different particles when
they decay.

Their nuclei have different charge but the same mass.

Their nuclei have the same charge but different mass.

Their nuclei have the same charge and mass, but they emit different particles when they
decay.

What is not conserved in nuclear processes?

A

energy and mass together

nucleon number

neutron number

charge

Compiled nd rearrnged by Sjit Chandra Shakya

34

10

35

A thin gold foil is bombarded with -particles as shown.

incident -particles

gold foil

What can be deduced from this experiment?

36

the binding energy of a gold nucleus

the energy levels of electrons in gold atoms

the small size of a gold nucleus

the structure of a gold nucleus

A zirconium nucleus,

100
40 Zr

, is a -emitter. The product nucleus is also a -emitter.

What is the final resulting nucleus of these two decays?

A

Sr

100
42

Mo

98
40

Zr

102
40

Zr

The following particles are each accelerated from rest through the same potential difference.
Which one completes the acceleration with the greatest momentum?
A

-particle

electron

neutron

proton

Compiled nd rearrnged by Sjit Chandra Shakya

37

100
38

11

37 Radon

222
86 Rn

decays by and emission to bismuth

214
83 Bi .

For the decay of each nucleus of radon, how many and particles are emitted?
particles

particles

38 Which conclusion can be drawn from the results of the experiment showing the scattering of
-particles by gold foil?
A

Electrons orbit the atomic nucleus in well-defined paths.

Nuclei of different isotopes contain different numbers of neutrons.

The atomic nucleus contains protons and neutrons.

The nucleus is very small compared with the size of the atom.

39 Which statement concerning -particles is correct?

A

An -particle has charge +4e.

An -particle is a helium atom.

When -particles travel through air, they cause ionisation.

When -particles travel through a sheet of gold foil, they make the gold radioactive.

41 A

238
92 U

electrons

neutrons

protons

in the nucleus

in the nucleus

orbiting the nucleus

in the nucleus

orbiting the nucleus

in the nucleus

orbiting the nucleus

in the nucleus

orbiting the nucleus

orbiting the nucleus

in the nucleus

in the nucleus

nucleus decays in two stages to a

234
91 Pa

nucleus.

What was emitted in these two stages?

A

Compiled nd rearrnged by Sjit Chandra Shakya

40 Where are electrons, neutrons and protons found in an atom?