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Physics for IGCSE & O level - Atoms And Radioactivity (Section 4)

1
What is the electric charge of a proton?
Answer
(B)
Positive
2
What are some of the hazards related to nuclear power?
Answer
A
B
D
3
What type of radiation is emitted during alpha decay?
Answer
(A)
Alpha particles
4
What instrument is used to measure radiation levels in a laboratory?
Answer
(B)
Geiger-Müller tube
5
Which decay process results in a new element with an atomic number one higher?
Answer
(B)
Beta decay
6
Which of the following can be used as a radioactive tracer?
Answer
A
B
7
Which type of radiation is most harmful to humans?
Answer
(C)
Gamma
8
What is the primary purpose of a nuclear reactor's cooling system?
Answer
(C)
To prevent overheating.
9
What is the main function of a control rod in a nuclear reactor?
Answer
(C)
To control the rate of fission
10
What is the term for the time it takes for half of a radioactive sample to decay?
Answer
(B)
Half-life
11
What particles were used in Rutherford's gold foil experiment?
Answer
(D)
Alpha particles
12
What is a key characteristic of gamma rays?
Answer
(C)
They have no mass
13
Which of the following is a common example of background radiation?
Answer
(C)
Cosmic rays
14
What is the atomic number?
Answer
(C)
The number of protons in an atom
15
What is the purpose of using radioactive tracers in medical diagnosis?
Answer
(C)
To track a substance through the body
16
What are atoms primarily composed of?
Answer
(B)
Protons, neutrons, and electrons
17
What are some of the methods of using radioactivity in industry?
Answer
A
B
D
18
What is the approximate half-life of a radioactive substance?
Answer
(B)
The time it takes for half of the atoms to decay.
19
Which type of nuclear decay results in the emission of a helium nucleus?
Answer
(A)
Alpha decay
20
What is emitted during beta decay?
Answer
(B)
Beta particle
21
What types of particles are emitted during radioactive decay?
Answer
A
B
C
22
Which type of radiation can penetrate the human body and is often used for treating cancer?
Answer
(C)
Gamma radiation
23
What is the charge of an electron?
Answer
(B)
-1
24
What is found at the center of an atom?
Answer
(D)
A nucleus
25
What is used to determine the age of an object using the half-life of a radioactive isotope?
Answer
(A)
Carbon dating
26
What type of radiation does a thickness monitor use?
Answer
(C)
Gamma
27
What type of particle is a beta particle?
Answer
(C)
An electron
28
Which of the following are required to sustain a chain reaction in a nuclear reactor?
Answer
A
B
D
29
Which particle is released during beta decay?
Answer
(B)
Beta particle
30
What is a common source of background radiation?
Answer
(D)
All of the above
31
What does the 'activity' of a radioactive sample refer to?
Answer
(B)
The rate at which the sample decays
32
What is the most important thing to consider for the safety of nuclear reactors?
Answer
(B)
The ability to control the chain reaction.
33
What is a key challenge in achieving nuclear fusion on Earth?
Answer
(B)
Creating and sustaining extremely high temperatures and pressures.
34
What are the building blocks of all matter?
Answer
(A)
Atoms
35
If a radioactive substance has a half-life of 1 year, and we start with 100g, how much will be left after 2 years?
Answer
(B)
25g
36
Which particle is neutral (has no charge)?
Answer
(B)
Neutron
37
What type of particles are emitted by smoke detectors?
Answer
(A)
Alpha
38
Which of these is an isotope of hydrogen?
Answer
(B)
Deuterium
39
What property of a radioactive isotope determines how quickly it decays?
Answer
(C)
Its half-life
40
Which of the following is NOT a type of radiation?
Answer
(D)
Delta
41
What is one of the biggest hurdles that scientists must overcome to create a sustainable fusion reaction?
Answer
(C)
Achieving and sustaining very high temperatures.
42
What happens to the mass number during beta decay?
Answer
(C)
Remains the same
43
What is the function of a smoke detector?
Answer
A
B
C
44
What does a smoke detector use to detect a fire?
Answer
(B)
A source of alpha particles
45
How many protons and neutrons are in an alpha particle?
Answer
(B)
2 protons and 2 neutrons
46
How does an atom give off light?
Answer
(A)
By losing energy in the form of a photon.
47
What is the role of a control rod in a nuclear reactor?
Answer
(B)
To absorb neutrons and control the reaction.
48
What are the components of an atom?
Answer
A
B
C
D
49
How do radioactive smoke detectors work?
Answer
(D)
By detecting alpha particles
50
What must be done to maintain a self-sustaining nuclear chain reaction?
Answer
B
C