Friends Boys School

Science Department
th
12 grade (SL) Chapter Seven – Test 4/11/2015

Name: ______________________

1. Emission and absorption spectra provide evidence for

A. the nuclear model of the atom. B. natural radioactivity.
C. the existence of isotopes. D. the existence of atomic energy levels.

2. Protons and neutrons are held together in the nucleus by the

A. electrostatic force. B. gravitational force.
C. weak nuclear force. D. strong nuclear force.

3. The relationship between proton number Z, neutron number N and nucleon number A is
A. A = Z – N B. Z = A + N
C. N = A – Z D. N = A +Z

4. Which of the following gives the correct number of protons and neutrons in a nucleus of
14
carbon-14 ( 6 C )?

Protons Neutrons
A. 8 6
B. 6 8
C. 14 6
D. 6 14

5. A radioactive source emits alpha particles that then travel through air. With reference to the
range of the alpha particles consider the following three quantities.

I. The charge of the alpha particle

II. The kinetic energy of the alpha particle

III. The density of the air

Which of the above determines the range of the alpha particles?

A. I only B. II only C. I and II only D. I, II and III

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6. The diagram shows some of the energy levels of a hypothetical atom.

The atom is excited to the energy level n = 4. Which of the following transitions will
produce a photon of the longest and the shortest wavelength?

Longest wavelength Shortest wavelength

A. 4→3 4→1
B. 4→1 4→3
C. 2→1 4→3
D. 4→3 2→1

7. Which of the following decay sequences would result in the daughter nucleus having the
same proton number as the parent nucleus?
A. Alpha followed by gamma
B. Beta (β– ) followed by gamma
C. Alpha followed by beta (β–) followed by beta (β–)
D. Beta (β–) followed by gamma followed by gamma

8. Which nucleons in a nucleus are involved in the Coulomb interaction and the strong short-
range nuclear interaction?

Coulomb interaction Strong short-range interaction

A. protons protons, neutrons
B. protons neutrons
C. protons protons
D. protons, neutrons neutrons

9. The half-life of a radioactive isotope is 10 days. What is the percentage of the sample
remaining after 25 days?
A. 0 % B. 18 % C. 25 % D. 40 %

10. A freshly prepared sample contains 4.0 μg of iodine-131. After 24 days, 0.5 μg of iodine-
131 remain. The best estimate of the half-life of iodine-131 is
A. 8 days B. 12 days C. 24 days D. 72 days

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11. Which of the following causes the greatest number of ionizations as it passes through 1 cm
of air?
(The total energy of the ionizing radiation is the same.)
A. An alpha particle B. A beta particle
C. A gamma-ray D. An X-ray

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12. A sample of a radioactive isotope of half-life initially contains N atoms. Which one of the
2

3T 1 ?
following gives the number of atoms of this isotope that have decayed after a time 2

1 1 2 7
N N N N
A. 8 B. 3 C. 3 D. 8

13. Isotopes provide evidence for the existence of

A. protons B. electrons C. nuclei D. neutrons.

14. Which one of the following provides direct evidence for the existence of discrete energy levels
in an atom?
A. The continuous spectrum of the light emitted by a white-hot metal.
B. The line emission spectrum of a gas at low pressure.
C. The emission of gamma radiation from radioactive atoms.
D. The ionization of gas atoms when bombarded by alpha particles.

15. A sample of material initially contains atoms of only one radioactive isotope. Which one of the
following quantities is reduced to one half of its initial value during a time equal to the half-life
of the radioactive isotope?

A. Total mass of the sample

B. Total number of atoms in the sample
C. Total number of nuclei in the sample
D. Activity of the radioactive isotope in the sample

16. Nuclear decay

(a) State the nature of an α -particle. (1)

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Uranium-238  92 U  undergoes -decay to form thorium (Th). The half-life of

238
(b)
238
uranium 92 U is 4.5  109 years.

(i) Define half-life. (2)

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 (ii) Write down the nuclear equation for the -decay of uranium to thorium. (2)

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(d) Thorium is radioactive and further decays occur, eventually giving lead which is
stable. These further decays all occur within a time that is short compared to the
238
half-life of 92 U. In a sample of rocks the ratio of the number of uranium atoms to
1
.
the number of lead atoms is 7

Estimate the age of the rocks assuming that no lead was initially present in the rocks.

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(3)

17. This question is about nuclear reactions.

(a) Complete the table below, by placing a tick ( ) in the relevant columns, to show
how an increase in each of the following properties affects the rate of decay of a
sample of radioactive material. (2)

Effect on rate of decay

Property
increase decrease stays the same
temperature of sample
pressure on sample
amount of sample

226
Radium-226 ( 88 Ra) undergoes natural radioactive decay to disintegrate spontaneously
with the emission of an alpha particle (α-particle) to form radon (Rn). The masses of the
particles involved in the reaction are

radium: 226.0254 u
radon: 222.0176 u
α-particle: 4.0026 u

(b) (i) Complete the nuclear reaction equation below for this reaction. (2)
226 ......... .........
88 Ra  ......... …… + ......... Rn

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 (ii) Calculate the energy released in the reaction. (3)

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18. Define nuclear binding energy. (2)

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19. This question is about radioactive decay.

220
A stationary radon-220 ( 86 Rn ) nucleus undergoes α-decay to form a nucleus of polonium
(Po). The α-particle has kinetic energy of 6.29 MeV.

(a) (i) Complete the nuclear equation for this decay. (2)
220
86 Rn  Po +

(ii) Calculate the kinetic energy, in joules, of the α-particle. (2)

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(iii) Deduce that the speed of the α-particle is 1.74 × 107 m s–1. (1)

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A sample of radon-220 has an initial activity A0.

(ii) On the axes below, draw a graph to show the variation with time t of the
activity A for time t = 0 to time t = 180 s. (2)

A0

0
0 40 80 120 160 200
t/s

(iii) Use your graph to determine the activity, in terms of A0, of the sample of
radon at time t = 120 s. Also, estimate the activity, in terms of A0, at time t =
330 s.

Activity at time t = 120 s : ……………………................................................

(1)

Good Luck