Welcome to the Quiz!
This quiz contains 12 questions from a mix of 1 subtopics.
What is the primary cause of nuclear instability?
A deficiency of energy within the nucleus
an excess of neutrons
an excess of protons
an imbalance between the strong nuclear force and electromagnetic force
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Which of the following can lead to nuclear instability?
an insufficient neutron count
an overabundance of energy in the nucleus
an excessively high neutron count
all of the above
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In β- decay, what happens to a neutron?
it transforms into an electron
it transforms into an antineutrino
it remains unchanged
it transforms into a proton
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What particles are emitted during β- decay?
a proton and an electron
an electron and an antineutrino
a positron and an antineutrino
an electron and a neutrino
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In β+ decay, what happens to a proton?
it transforms into a positron
it transforms into a neutrino
it remains unchanged
it transforms into a neutron
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What is an α particle?
a lithium nucleus
a helium nucleus
a hydrogen nucleus
a beryllium nucleus
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What do radioactive decay processes help to achieve in unstable nuclei?
lower the nucleus's energy
adjust the number of nucleons
all of the above
modify the neutron-to-proton ratio towards a more stable configuration
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In a nuclear stability graph, where are stable nuclei found?
to the right of the graph
above the line of stability
along the line of stability
below the line of stability
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In a nuclear stability graph, nuclei positioned above the line of stability typically undergo which type of decay?
α decay
β+ decay
no decay
β- decay
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In a nuclear stability graph, heavier nuclei situated to the right of the graph often decay through which process?
no decay
α emission
β- emission
β+ emission
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Explain the three main types of radioactive decay processes that unstable nuclei may undergo to achieve a stable state.
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How can a nuclear stability graph be interpreted to determine the stability and preferred decay modes of nuclei?
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