CH. 10 Env. Sci.
The mass of an atomic nucleon is nearly
2000 times the mass of an electron.
A certain radioactive isotope placed near a Geiger counter registers 120 counts per minute. If the half-life of the isotope is one day, what will the count rate be at the end of four days?
7.5 counts/min
An atom with an imbalance of electrons to protons is
an ion.
The most harmful radiations are those that
damage living cells
A nucleon has more mass when it is
outside the nucleus
The difference in the mass of a nucleon when outside an atomic nucleus compared to inside the nucleus depends on
the atomic number of the nucleus
If an alpha particle and a beta particle have the same energy, which particle will penetrate the farthest in an object?
the beta particle
The mass of a nucleon is greatest where its potential energy is
the greatest
When U-238 emits an alpha particle, the nucleus left behind has
90 protons.
When U-235 undergoes fission, the two nuclei that result have a total of
92 protons.
When U-239 emits a beta particle, the nucleus left behind ha
93 protons.
Which of the following isotopes is radioactive?
carbon-14
The most abundant element in the universe is
Hydrogen
It's impossible for a hydrogen atom to emit an alpha particle.
True
Three isotopes that undergo nuclear fission are
U-233, U-235, and Pu-239.
An element will decay to an element with higher atomic number in the periodic table if it emits
a beta particle
An element will decay to an element with higher atomic number in the periodic table if it emits Correct Answer
a beta particle.
Which experiences the least electrical force in an electric field?
a gamma ray
Fissioning an iron nucleus yields a net
absorption of energy
Fissioning helium would yield a net
absorption of energy.
Which experiences the greatest electrical force in an electric field
an alpha particle
In the fissioning of uranium, a chain reaction is caused by
ejected neutrons.
Once an alpha particle is outside the nucleus it is
electrostatically repelled
If gold were used as nuclear fuel, it would be best
fissioned.
if carbon were used as nuclear fuel, it would be best
fused.
Electrical forces inside a nucleus contribute nuclear
instability
Compared to the mass of a uranium nucleus before splitting, the pieces it splits into have
less mass
The amount of radiation we personally encounter that originates in the Earth's and the atmosphere's natural background is
more than half
Different isotopes of an element have different numbers of
neutrons.
A nucleon has more potential energy with respect to a nucleus when it is
outside the nucleus.
The nucleus with the greatest mass is
plutonium.
The nucleus with the most tightly bound nucleons is
plutonium.
Detonation of a fission type atomic bomb is started by
pressing together several small pieces of uranium.
Electric forces within an atomic nucleus tend to
push it apart.
Artificially induced radioactive elements generally have
short half lives.
When uranium emits a beta particle, the result is
transuranic element
A sample of relatively active radioactive material is somewhat
warmer than the environment.
The half-life of an isotope is one day. At the end of three days, how much of the isotope remains?
1/8
A certain radioactive isotope placed near a Geiger counter registers 160 counts per second. Eight hours later, the counter registers 10 counts per second. What is the half-life of the isotope?
2 hours
A Geiger counter placed 1 m from a point source of radiation registers 100 counts per second. If the Geiger counter is moved closer to 0.5 m from the source, what will the count rate be?
400 counts/min
In nuclear fission and nuclear fusion reactions, the amount of mass converted to energy is about
less than one percent
Compared to the sum of the masses of all the individual nucleons in their separate states that make up a nucleus, the mass of the composite nucleus is
less.
In gaseous form, at the same temperature, the average speed of U-238 compared to the speed of U-235 is
less.
When a gamma ray is emitted by a nucleus, the nucleus then has appreciably less
neither A nor B
There is a greater proportion of carbon-14 in
new bones
A gram of radioactive material has a half-life of one year. After four years, how much radioactive material will be left?
none of the above
The mass of a nucleus is exactly equal to the sum of the masses of its individual
none of the above
In order for an atom to decay to an element which is one greater in atomic number, it can emit
all of the above
When uranium-238 absorbs a neutron, it
becomes a beta emitter
Hydrogen is a first-rate fuel for
both A and B
In which of these processes is an element of matter changed into a completely different element?
both A and B
The helium in a child's balloon is composed of
both A and B
When an alpha particle is ejected from a nucleus, the nucleus then has less
both A and B
The reason plutonium is not found in any appreciable amounts in natural ore deposits is beca
has a short half-life
When a lump of uranium is broken into smaller pieces, the total surface area of the lump
increases
In both fission and fusion, mass
is changed to the form of kinetic energy.
All deposits of natural uranium contain appreciable amounts of
lead
In a mass spectrometer, a variety of singly-ionized atomic nuclei are directed into a magnetic field where they are deflected and strike a detecting screen. The particles to undergo the greatest deflection are the particles with the
least mass.
If iron were used as nuclear fuel, it would be best
neither A nor B
The half-life of an isotope is one day. At the end of two days the amount that remains is
one-quarter.
Plutonium is chemically toxic when it is
oxidized or non-oxidized
Fissioning a lead nucleus yields a net
release energy
An element emits one alpha particle, one positron, and three beta particles. Its atomic number
stays the same
The half-lives of elements beyond uranium are too short for these elements to occur in natural deposits. But elements below uranium that have equally short half-lives do occur in natural deposits. This is because they are
the products of uranium decay
Which will leak more neutrons, two separate lumps of uranium, or the same two lumps stuck together?
two separate lumps
When radium (A = 88) emits an alpha particle, the resulting nucleus has atomic number
86.
When thorium (A = 90) emits a beta particle, the resulting nucleus has atomic number
none of the above
The atomic mass number of an element is the same as the number of its
nucleons