Welcome to the Quiz!
This quiz contains 14 questions from a mix of 1 subtopics.
What primarily determines the stability of an atomic nucleus?
the number of protons
the balance between the strong nuclear force and electrostatic force
the total number of nucleons
the number of neutrons
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Which of the following can cause a nucleus to become unstable and radioactive?
all of the above
too many neutrons
A total number of nucleons that is too high
too few neutrons
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What is the charge of an alpha particle?
+2
-1
0
+1
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Which type of radiation has the highest ionising power?
beta minus
beta plus
gamma
alpha
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Which type of radiation has the longest range in air?
beta plus
alpha
gamma
beta minus
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Alpha decay is characteristic of which type of nuclei?
very light nuclei
nuclei with an excess of neutrons
very heavy nuclei
nuclei with an excess of protons
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Beta minus decay typically occurs in isotopes with:
an equal number of protons and neutrons
an excess of protons
an excess of neutrons
A deficiency of both protons and neutrons
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During beta minus decay, what happens to the atomic number and mass number of the nucleus?
atomic number decreases by one, mass number remains the same
atomic number increases by one, mass number remains the same
both atomic number and mass number decrease
both atomic number and mass number increase
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Beta plus decay typically occurs in isotopes with:
an excess of neutrons
an equal number of protons and neutrons
an excess of protons
A deficiency of both protons and neutrons
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What particle is emitted during beta plus decay?
neutron
proton
positron
electron
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During beta plus decay, what happens to the atomic number and mass number of the nucleus?
both atomic number and mass number decrease
both atomic number and mass number increase
atomic number increases by one, mass number remains the same
atomic number decreases by one, mass number remains the same
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What is the term for the force that acts to hold protons and neutrons within the nucleus together?
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What is the term for the force that causes positively charged protons to repel each other within the nucleus?
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Explain the difference between beta minus and beta plus decay in terms of the particles involved and the changes in atomic number and mass number.
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