Practice MCQs For Radioactivity and the nuclear atom

This quiz contains practice questions for GCE ‘O’ level topic: Radioactivity and the nuclear atom. There are explanations for some of the questions after you submit the quiz. If you could not figure out why a particular option is the answer, feel free to drop a comment below or ask a question in ‘O’ & ‘A’ Level Discussion section of the forum. If you wish to contribute questions to this quiz, please contact us.

The quiz comprises of 10 questions, which are randomly selected from a large pool of questions. After completion, you can refresh the page and try the quiz again for a new set of 10 questions.

Back To O Level Physics

Back To List of O Level Physics Quiz

Enter email to receive results:

1. The table shows the possible properties of radioactive emissions.

Which emission could be a beta-particle?

C

B

D

A

2. Atoms P and Q are isotopes. How does the composition of neutral atom P compare with neutral atom Q?

D

C

A

B

3. Which row gives the range and electrical charge of an alpha-particle?

	Range In Air	Electrical Charge
A	A few centimetres	Negative
B	A few centimetres	Positive
C	A few metres	Negative
D	A few metres	Positive

A

B

D

C

4. The half-life of a radioactive material is 24 years.

The activity of a sample falls to a fraction of its initial value after 72 years.

What is the fraction?

$\frac{1}{3}$

$\frac{1}{8}$

$\frac{1}{4}$

$\frac{1}{6}$

5. Which equation shows a nuclear fission reaction?

$^{14}_{7}\text{N} + \text{neutron} \rightarrow \, ^{15}_{7}\text{N}$

$^{2}_{1}\text{H} + \, ^{2}_{1}\text{H} \rightarrow \, ^{4}_{2}\text{He}$

$^{46}_{21}\text{Sc} \rightarrow \, ^{46}_{21}\text{Sc} + \text{gamma ray}$

$^{239}_{92}\text{U} \rightarrow \, ^{95}_{38}\text{Sr} + \, ^{141}_{54}\text{Xe} + 3 \text{ neutrons}$

6. $^{14}_{6} \text{C}$ represents a nuclide of the element carbon and $^{14}_{7} \text{N}$ a nuclide of nitrogen.

How does a neutral atom of $^{14}_{7} \text{N} $ differ from a neutral atom of $^{14}_{6} \text{C} $?

The nitrogen atom has one electron less than the carbon atom.

The nitrogen atom has one neutron more than the carbon atom.

The nitrogen atom has one proton more than the carbon atom.

The nitrogen atom has one proton less than the carbon atom.

7. Which of the following occurs in the decay of a radioactive nucleus?

The nucleus always splits into two equal fragments.

The nucleus absorbs at least one form of radiation.

The nucleus emits at least one form of radiation.

The nucleus absorbs another nucleus.

8. The diagram shows how the thickness of paper is measured during a manufacturing process.

If the sheet is too thick, fewer beta-particles can reach the detector.

A source of alpha-particles is not used for this purpose because alpha-particles

are all stopped by the paper.

have a short half-life.

make the paper radioactive.

are too dangerous to those working nearby.

9. The results of the Rutherford experiment provide evidence for the presence of the nucleus within the atom.

What were scattered in this experiment?

gold nuclei

gamma rays

alpha-particles

beta-particles

10. A radioactive source has a half-life of 24 hours. At 1:00 am, it has an activity of 1000 counts per minute. At 1:00 pm on the same day, what is its most likely activity?

600 counts per minute

700 counts per minute

800 counts per minute

900 counts per minute

 Loading...

 

Back To O Level Physics

Back To List of O Level Physics Quiz