CART Nuclear Chemistry and Radioactivity 2

Question 1

Which conservation law requires that the mass numbers balance in a nuclear equation?

Accepted Answer

Conservation of mass number and atomic number

Answer

Conservation of charge only

Answer

Conservation of energy only

Answer

Conservation of momentum only

Question 2

Nuclear fission is best described as:

Accepted Answer

A heavy nucleus splitting into two smaller nuclei

Answer

Two light nuclei combining to form a heavier nucleus

Answer

A nucleus emitting a gamma ray without changing mass

Answer

A proton capturing an electron to form a neutron

Question 3

Carbon-14 radioactive dating is useful for determining:

Accepted Answer

The age of organic (carbon-containing) materials up to ~50,000 years old

Answer

The age of rocks formed from magma

Answer

The purity of synthetic chemical compounds

Answer

The energy content of fossil fuels

Question 4

Gamma radiation differs from alpha and beta radiation in that gamma radiation:

Accepted Answer

Is electromagnetic radiation with no mass or charge

Answer

Carries a positive charge

Answer

Is composed of high-speed neutrons

Answer

Decreases the atomic number of the nucleus

Question 5

In beta-minus decay, a neutron is converted inside the nucleus into:

Accepted Answer

A proton and an emitted electron (beta particle)

Answer

An alpha particle and a gamma ray

Answer

Two protons and a positron

Answer

A proton and an emitted positron

Question 6

What is a nuclear chain reaction?

Accepted Answer

A process where neutrons from fission trigger additional fissions, releasing more neutrons

Answer

A series of chemical reactions that produce heat

Answer

A sequence of alpha decays in a single isotope

Answer

A reaction that requires a magnetic field to sustain

Question 7

Which isotope notation correctly represents an alpha particle?

Accepted Answer

₂⁴He

Answer

₁⁰e

Answer

₁¹H

Answer

₀¹n