Topic 10 – Nuclear Physics

Subtopic 10.1: Properties of the Nucleus

KPI 10.1.1 KPI 10.1.4

1. The nucleus of an atom is made up of which of 5. The charge in the nucleus us due to _____.
the following?
√ A. protons
A. Electrons and protons
B. electrons
B. Electrons and neutrons
C. neutrons
√ C. Protons and neutrons
D. protons and neutrons
D. Electrons, protons and neutrons
KPI 10.1.4
KPI 10.1.2 6. If the proton number of an atom increases,
2. The atomic number of a given element is what happens to the relative charge on its
equivalent to which of the following? nucleus?

√ A. Proton number in the nucleus √ A. Increases

B. Neutron number in the nucleus B. Decreases
C. Number of electrons in the outer shell C. Stays the same
D. Sum of protons and neutrons D. Goes to zero

KPI 10.1.2 KPI 10.1.5

3. If there are 146 neutrons in 238U, how many 7. Most of the mass in an atom is due to the
neutrons are found in the nucleus of 235U? ______.

A. 141 A. electrons only

√ B. 143 B. protons only
C. 145 C. neutrons only
D. 147 √ D. both protons and neutrons

KPI 10.1.3, 10.1.8 KPI 10.1.2, 10.1.5

4. What are the relative charges of protons, 8. Which term refers to the total number of
electrons and neutrons? protons and neutrons in a nucleus?

Protons Neutrons Electrons A. Atomic number

A. −1 0 +1 B. Electron number
B. −1 −1 0 √ C. Nucleon number
√ C. +1 0 −1 D. Avogadro’s number
D. +1 −1 0

Page 1 of 8
 KPI 10.1.6 KPI 10.1.9
9. A nucleus represented by the symbol "!𝑋 has 11. The mass of 12C is 12𝑢 where;
____. 1𝑢 = 1.66 × 10()& 𝑘𝑔. This mass is equal to:
A. Z neutrons and A–Z protons
A. The mass of 12C nucleus
√ B. Z protons and A–Z neutrons
√ B. The mass of 12C nucleus plus 6 electrons
C. Z protons and A+Z neutrons
C. The mass of 12C nucleus plus 12 electrons
D. A protons and A–Z neutrons
D. The mass of 6 protons and 6 neutrons
KPI 10.1.7
10. Which of the following pair of atoms are
isotopesof the element $%#𝑋?

$%
A. &𝑋
$%
B. '𝑋
$&
√ C. #𝑋
$&
D. '𝑋

Free Response:

KPI 10.1.2, 10.1.6

1. A neutral atom is designated by *+
$#𝑋 . Complete the table below with the number of protons, neutrons, electrons
and nucleons this neutral atom has.

Number of Protons 18
Number of Neutrons 22
Number of Electrons 18
Number of Nucleons 40

KPI 10.1.7
2. The isotopes of some elements are given below. Form three groups of isotopes of the elements in the table.
$, $) $- $# $* $* $% $- $&
&𝑋 %𝑋 &𝑋 #𝑋 &𝑋 %𝑋 #𝑋 %𝑋 #𝑋

$) $* $-
Group 1 %𝑋 %𝑋 %𝑋
$, $- $*
Group 2 &𝑋 &𝑋 &𝑋
$# $% $&
Group 3 #𝑋 #𝑋 #𝑋

Page 2 of 8
KPI 10.1.8
3. Complete the table below with the relative mass and charge of electron, proton and neutron.

Electron Proton Neutron

Relative Mass 0 1 1

Relative charge -1 +1 0

Subtopic 10.2: Radioactivity

KPI 10.2.1, 10.2.6 KPI 10.2.2

1. Which of the following best describes radioactive 4. Among alpha (α) particles, beta (β) particles, and
decay? gamma (γ) radiation, which one has the highest
relative ionizing effect?
A. Predictable
A. Alpha particle
√ B. Random and spontaneous
B. Beta particle
C. Controlled and systematic
√ C. Gamma radiation
D. Continuous and linear
D. They all have similar ionizing effects
KPI 10.2.2
2. Which nuclear emission consists of two protons KPI 10.2.2
and two neutrons and has the lowest penetrating 5. A student has three radioactive sources X, Y and
ability? Z. They devised the following experiment to
determine what type of radiation each source is
emitting.
√ A. Alpha particle
B. Beta particle
C. Gamma radiation
D. Neutron emission

KPI 10.2.2
3. What is the nature of beta (β) particles in terms
of their charge and mass? The student found that the radiation from X was
stopped by a sheet of paper, Y was partially stopped
Positively charged, similar mass to by a few cm of lead and Z was stopped by a few mm
A.
electrons of aluminium. Which of the following correctly
identi es each type of radiation.
Negatively charged, similar mass to
√ B.
protons
X Y Z
C. Neutral, similar mass to neutrons
A. α-particle β-particle γ-ray
Positively charged, similar mass to
D. √ B. α-particle γ-ray β-particle
protons
C. γ-ray β-particle α-particle
D. β-particle γ-ray α-particle

Page 3 of 8
KPI 10.2.3 KPI 10.2.4
6. Which nuclear emission type experiences the 9. Which of the following is a significant source
least deflection in a magnetic field? contributing to background radiation?

A. Alpha particle A. Radiation from nuclear power plants

B. Beta particle B. Radiation from mobile phones
√ C. Gamma radiation √ C. Radiation from cosmic rays
They all experience the same D. Radiation from microwave ovens
D.
deflection
KPI 10.2.5
KPI 10.2.3 10. Which of the following is a unit used to express
7. In an electric field, which nuclear emission is the count rate of ionizing radiation?
deflected towards the negatively charged plate?
A. Joules
√ A. Alpha particle
B. Newtons
B. Beta particle
C. Watt
C. Gamma radiation
√ D. Counts per minute
D. Neutron emission
KPI 10.2.5
KPI 10.2.3 11. How are background radiation levels utilized in
8. Beta and gamma radiation are passed through determining a corrected count rate?
two charged metal plates as shown in the diagram
below. By subtracting them from the
√ A.
measured count rate
By adding them to the measured
B.
count rate
By dividing them from the measured
C.
Which direction, if any, would the β-particles and γ- count rate
rays be deflected? By multiplying them with the
D.
measured count rate
β-particles γ-rays
KPI 10.2.9
A. Into the page Continue straight
12. A radioactive nucleus emits a β-particle. What
Towards the happens to the proton number and the nucleon
B. Out of the page
negative plate number of this nucleus?
Towards the
C. Continue straight
negative plate Proton number Nucleon number
Towards the
√ D. Continue straight
positive plate √ A. increases by 1 stays the same
B. stays the same decreases by 1
C. decreases by 2 decreases by 4
D. decreases by 1 stays the same

Page 4 of 8
KPI 10.2.10, 10.2.15 KPI 10.2.12, 10.2.13
13. What has occurred in the following reaction? 17. Polonium-210 has a half-life of 138 days. How
much of a 2.34 kg sample will remain after four
years?

A. Alpha decay A. 0.644 mg

√ B. Beta decay B. 1.50 mg

C. Gamma decay √ C. 1.53 g

D. Loss of proton D. 10.6 g

KPI 10.2.8, 10.2.10 KPI 10.2.12, 10.2.13

14. What is the product when pollonium-210 18. What fraction of a radioactive sample has
( )$+ decayed after three half - lives have elapsed?
#*𝑃𝑜 ) undergoes alpha decay?

)+% A. 1/4
√ A. #)𝑃𝑏
B. 1/8
)+#
B. #)𝑃𝑏
C. 3/4
)$+
C. #,𝐴𝑡 √ D. 7/8
)$+
D. #+𝐻𝑔
KPI 10.2.12, 10.2.13
19. The count rate from a radioactive isotope is
KPI 10.2.8, 10.2.10 recorded every hour. The count rate is corrected for
15. A nucleus with 11 protons and 13 neutrons background radiation. The table shows the
undergoes beta decay. It forms magnesium, which readings.
has the element symbol Mg. Which is the correct
isotope of magnesium formed during the decay?
Time/ 0 1 2 3 4 5
hours
)+
A. '𝑀𝑔 Count 1200 990 816 675 555 458
rate/
)*
B. $+𝑀𝑔 counts/s
)-
√ C. $$𝑀𝑔
A. between 1 and 2 hours
)*
D. $)𝑀𝑔 B. between 2 and 3 hours
√ C. between 3 and 4 hours
KPI 10.2.10
16. Which type of decay does not change the D. between 4 and 5 hours
number of protons or neutrons in the nucleus?
KPI 10.2.14
A. Alpha 20. What is the primary cause of natural
radioactivity?
B. Beta
√ C. Gamma A. Stable nuclei found in nature
D. Positron √ B. Unstable nuclei found in nature
C. External radiation sources
D. Cosmic rays

Page 5 of 8
KPI 10.2.15 KPI 10.2.15
21. Identify the unknown isotope in this reaction: 22. What is "!𝑋 in the reaction below.
$*
𝑛𝑒𝑢𝑡𝑟𝑜𝑛 + $*&𝑁 → %𝐶 +? *
)𝐻𝑒 + *'𝐵𝑒 → $)
%𝐶 + "!𝑋
$
√ A. $𝐻 A. A proton
)
B. $𝐻 √ B. A neutron

C. -
$𝐻
C. An alpha particle
* D. A beta particle
D. )𝐻 𝑒

Free Response:

KPI 10.2.2, 10.2.3

1. Complete the table by identifying the type of radiation for each of the characteristics listed below.

Characteristics Type of particle/radiation (𝜶, 𝜷 𝒐𝒓 𝜸)

Most penetrating 𝛾 radiation
Most ionizing 𝛼 particle
Has a charge of −1 𝛽 particle
Fast moving electron 𝛽 particle
Has 2 protons and 2 electrons 𝛼 particle
A type of electromagnetic radiation 𝛾 radiation

No deflection in electric and

𝛾 radiation
magnetic fields

KPI 10.2.4
2. List two sources of background radiations.
Any two:
Radon gas (in the air)/ Rocks and buildings/ Food and drink/ Cosmic rays

KPI 10.2.10, 10.2.15

3. Complete each nuclear reaction below to identify the radiation emitted.

##$ ##'
a. !"𝐴𝑐 → !&𝐹𝑟 + ________ %#𝐻𝑒_________
##& ##&
b. !!𝑅𝑎 → !"𝐴𝑐 + ________ (')𝑒_________ + ________𝜈̅ _________
#&
c. '*𝐴𝑙 + ')𝑛 → #%
''𝑁𝑎 + _______ %#𝐻𝑒__________

Page 6 of 8
KPI 10.2.12
4. A student carried out an experiment to nd the half-life of a radioactive substance. Their results are shown in
the table below.

5. What is the half -life of this substance?

From the table, the time taken for the count rate to reduce from 300 to 150 or from 150 to 75 is 40 seconds.
Therefore the half live is 40 seconds.

KPI 10.2.12, 10.2.13

6. At the beginning of an investigation, a sample of the substance emits 3000 particles per minute. After 6
weeks, the count rate decreases to 375 particles per minute. What is the half-life of the substance?

𝑁+
= (2).
𝑁
3000
= (2).
375
8 = (2).
𝑛=3
𝑡 6 𝑤𝑒𝑒𝑘𝑠
𝑇$/) = = = 2 𝑤𝑒𝑒𝑘𝑠
𝑛 3

KPI 10.2.12, 10.2.13

7. An isotope has a half-life of 3.0 days. What percentage of the original material will be left after 6.0 days?
𝑡
𝑇$/) =
𝑛
𝑡 6.0 𝑑𝑎𝑦𝑠
𝑛= = =2
𝑇$ 3.0 𝑑𝑎𝑦𝑠
)

𝑁+
= (2).
𝑁
1
= (2))
𝑁
1
𝑁 = = 0.25 = 25%
4

Page 7 of 8
KPI 10.2.11, 10.2.12, 10.2.13
8. The graph shows the activity of a radioactive source over a period of time.

a. Define half-life.
Half-life of a radioactive isotope is the time taken for half the nuclei of that isotope in any sample to
decay or the count rate (or activity) to reduce by half its original number.

b. What is the half-life of the source?

1st half-life for count rate to go down from 800 to 400 = 5 hours
2nd half-life for count rate to go down from 400 to 200 = 5 hours
Therefore, the average half-life = 5 hours

Page 8 of 8