Chapter 10

Question 1

Which of the following consists of a stream of charged particles?

a. alpha rays
b. beta rays
c. gamma rays
d. more than one response is correct

Answer 1

d. more than one response is correct

Question 2

What is the nuclear composition of ?

a. 12 neutrons and 28 protons
b. 12 neutrons and 16 protons
c. 12 protons and 28 neutrons
d. 12 protons and 16 neutrons

Answer 2

d. 12 protons and 16 neutrons

Question 3

Which is the explanation for the difference between the two isotopes of carbon, C-12 and C-14?

a. C-14 contains 2 more protons than does C-12.
b. C-14 contains 1 proton and 1 neutron more than does C-12.
c. C-14 contains 2 more neutrons than does C-12.
d. C-14 contains 2 more electrons than does C-12.

Answer 3

c. C-14 contains 2 more neutrons than does C-12.

Question 4

An individual would have to work from behind a special, thick protective wall when which kind of an emitter is involved?

a. alpha
b. beta
c. gamma
d. free radicals

Answer 4

c. gamma

Question 5

Carbon-14 dating is a useful tool for determining the age of the artifacts of ancient civilizations. However, when future archeologists study ruins of our civilization, they obtain confusing results – with some artifacts dating MUCH older than others. Which of the following would be an explanation for these results?

a. Variations in the Sun’s intensity and production of cosmic rays.
b. Ecosystem changes resulting in a reduction in carbon based life.
c. The use of petroleum based synthetic materials.
d. None of the choices.

Answer 5

c. The use of petroleum based synthetic materials.

Question 6

Tritium has a half-life of 12.5 years. If you had a sample of 8.00 grams of tritium today, how many grams of tritium would you have in 37.5 years?

a. 8.00 g
b. 4.00 g
c. 2.00 g
d. 1.00 g

Answer 6

d. 1.00 g

Question 7

In nuclear reactions, the principle change occurs

a. in the molecular bonds
b. in the electron arrangement of the atoms
c. in the physical state of the matter
d. in the nucleus of the atom

Answer 7

d. in the nucleus of the atom

Question 8

The term “nuclear energy” is most closely associated with which one of the following processes?

a. nuclear fusion
b. nuclear fission
c. cyclotron bombardment
d. radioactive decay

Answer 8

b. nuclear fission

Question 9

Which of the emissions can be the cause of radiation sickness?

a. α particles
b. β particles
c. neutrons
d. all of these with sufficient exposure

Answer 9

d. all of these with sufficient exposure

Question 10

What are some of the symptoms of radiation sickness?

a. hemorrhage
b. nausea
c. anemia
d. all of the responses are symptoms

Answer 10

d. all of the responses are symptoms

Question 11

What is the emission that is used to obtain a CAT scan?

a. alpha
b. beta
c. X-ray
d. none of these responses

Answer 11

c. X-ray

Question 12

Which technique of medical investigation presents no risk to the patient?

a. X-ray
b. CAT scan
c. MRI
d. none of these responses present any risk to the patient

Answer 12

c. MRI

Question 13

Which measure of radiation is used to account for health differences of various types of radiation?

a. curie
b. rem
c. gray
d. rad

Answer 13

b. rem

Question 14

Which emissions can be detected by a film badge?

a. X-rays
b. gamma
c. beta
d. all the responses can be detected by a film badge

Answer 14

d. all the responses can be detected by a film badge

Question 15

What characteristic is important in using radioisotope dating for very old items, such as rocks suspected to be over 100,000,000 years old?

a. The radioisotope cannot be soluble in water.
b. The radioisotope must give off light for easy measurement.
c. The radioisotope in question must decay to another radioisotope.
d. The radioisotope should have a very long half-life.

Answer 15

d. The radioisotope should have a very long half-life.

Question 16

Synthetic elements can be produced by

a. the application of extremely high voltages
b. by the bombardment of atoms with helium atoms
c. by the bombardment of an atom by high speed neutrons
d. all of the responses are correct

Answer 16

c. by the bombardment of an atom by high speed neutrons

Question 17

Which element cannot be transmutated by being bombarded by protons?

a. Mo
b. H
c. Th
d. U

Answer 17

b. H

Question 18

What is the nature of the activity that is our sun?

a. extremely fast chemical reactions
b. fission reactions
c. a mixture of chemical & nuclear reactions
d. fusion reactions

Answer 18

d. fusion reactions

Question 19

A good radioisotope tracer for medical use should not have the following characteristic.

a. have a long half-life
b. produce penetrating gamma radiation
c. decay to a nontoxic form
d. undergo the same reactions as the nonradioactive element

Answer 19

a. have a long half-life

Question 20

If you are a medical professional and have a chance to be exposed to many sources of radiation, which of the following units to measure biological radiation will most likely be used to express your level of total exposure?

a. Roentgen
b. Rad
c. Gray
d. Rem

Answer 20

d. Rem

Question 21

A patient that works at a nuclear power plant comes to you complaining of nausea and fatigue. You find out that he might have been exposed to a radiation source; what would you recommend be done?

a. nothing, if he is still alive, there is no real problem.
b. send the patient home to rest because nausea and fatigue are not signs of a serious exposure.
c. have additional tests ran to find out the level of exposure.
d. tell the patient to take two aspirins and call you in the morning, he probably has the flu.

Answer 21

c. have additional tests ran to find out the level of exposure.

Question 22

History’s first critical chain reaction took place in an atomic pile. The neutrons from fission reactions caused other fission reactions to occur. What would be the most effective method to stop the fission reaction from proceeding?

a. throw water on the pile to cool the reaction
b. add more neutrons to the reaction
c. place strong neutron absorbers into the pile
d. none of the choices

Answer 22

c. place strong neutron absorbers into the pile