1 When an animal dies, each gram of carbon in its body emits about 16 β particles each

minute. Each gram of carbon from some animal remains is found to emit 4 β particles
each minute. Assuming that the half-life of radioactive carbon is 6000 years, how old
are the animal remains?
(A) 1500years (B) 3000years (C) 6000years (D) 12000years (E) 24000years
2 What are isotopes?
(A) atoms which are radioactive
(B) atoms with too many neutrons
(C) atoms of the same element with different numbers of neutrons
(D) atoms of the same element with different numbers of protons
(E) atoms which have gained or lost an eletron
3 90 90
38 Sr decays to 39Y by
(A) emission of an alpha particle
(B) emission of a beta particle
(C) emission of a proton
(D) gaining a neutron
(E) gaining an electron
4 From which of the following materials should a box for storing radioactive substances
be made?
(A) aluminium (B) glass (C) graphite (D) lead (E) wood
5 In the Geiger-Marsden experiment, a narrow beam of alpha particles was fired at a thin
piece of gold foil in a vacuum. Some of the particles were scattered through large
angles. The result of the experiment provided evidence for the existence of
(A) nuclear reactions.
(B) uncharged atoms.
(C) a positively-charged nucleus.
(D) neutrons in the nucleus.
(E) electrons orbiting the nucleus.
6 Radon decays to polonium by emission of alpha particles as shown by the following
equation. x y
y Rn  84 Po + α
x 218
A 214 82
What are the values of x and y? B 216 80
C 218 84
D 220 88
E 222 86
7 Which of the following nuclides has equal numbers of neutrons and protons?
(A) 11 H (B) 42 He (C) 73 Li (D) 94 Be € 115 Bo
8 The equation represents actinium decaying to thorium.
89 Ac 90Th  Y
227 227

What particle does Y represent?

(A) an atom (B) an electron (C) a helium nucleus (D) a neutron (E) a proton
9 Why are γ-rays undeflected by a magnetic field?
(A) They are strongly penetrating.
(B) They are weakly ionizing.
(C) They have no mass.
(D) They have no charge.
(E) They travel at high speed.
10 The results of the Geiger-Marsden scattering experiment provided evidence for the
presence of the nucleus within the atom. What was scattered in this experiment?
(A) alpha-particles
(B) beta-particles
(C) gamma-rays
(D) light rays
(E) X-rays
11 35
A nuclide is represented by 17 Cl .
How many neutrons and protons does each nucleus contain?
neutrons protons
A 17 18
B 17 35
C 18 17
D 18 35
E 35 17
12 A factory buys 100g of a radioactive chemical with a half-life of 5 years which decays
to a stable compound. How much of the chemical will still be radioactive in 10years’
time?
(A) none (B) 25g (C) 50g (D) 75g (E) 100g
13 Which of the following nuclear reaction is an example of fusion ?
(A) carbon 14 decaying to nitrogen + an electron
(B) two heavy hydrogen nuclei becoming helium + a neutron + energy
(C) radioactive radium 226 decaying to radioactive radon 222 + an alpha particle
(D) radioactive sodium 24 decaying to stable magnesium 24 + a beta particle
(E) uranium 235 + a neutron becoming barium 144 + krypton 90 + two neutrons +
energy
14 An atom of an element has a nucleus surrounded by particles. Which of the following
gives its structure?
nucleus surrounded by
A electrons and protons neutrons
B electrons and neutrons protons
C protons and neutrons electrons
D electrons protons and neutrons
E protons electrons and neutrons

15 A nucleus of the element cobalt may be represented by the symbol 59

27 Co . What is the
structure of a neutral atom of cobalt?
number of number of number of
electrons protons neutrons
A 27 27 32
B 27 59 32
C 32 27 59
D 59 27 32
E 59 32 27

91 Z . It emits one α-particle and then one β-particle. What

16 A nucleus is represented by 230
is the resulting nucleus?
88W (B) 89 X (C) 90Y (D) 89 X € 91 Z
(A) 226 226 226 230 230
17 In which type of nuclear reaction are the nuclei heavier after the reaction than they were
before?
(A) α-decay (B) β-decay (C) γ-emission (D) nuclear fission (E) nuclear fusion
18 A radioactive nucleus emits a β-particle. What is the change in its nucleon number?
(A) It decreases by 2
(B) It decreases by 1
(C) It does not change
(D)It increases by 1
(E) It increases by 4
19 Which of the following statements is correct for γ-radiation?
(A) It can be stopped by paper
(B) It can pass through thin aluminium
(C) It is deflected by a magnetic field
(D) It is positively charged.
(E) It travels at half the speed of light
20 Deutarium, 21 H and tritium, 31 H are two isotopes of hydrogen. Compared to a deuterium
atom, how many protons, neutrons and electrons does a tritium atom have?
protons neutrons electrons
A more more same
B more same more
C same more same
D same more fewer
E same fewer more
21 Which of the following nuclear reactions is an example of fusion?
(A) 126 C  147N  -01e  energy
(B) 21 H  21H  23 He  01n  energy
(C) 24
11Na  24
12 Mg  β  energy

(D) 226
88 Ra222
86 Rn  α  energy

(E) 235
92 U 01n144
56 Ba  36 Kr  20 n  energy
90 1

22 Which of the following statements about alpha particles is not true?

(A)They can be deflected by a magnetic field.
(B) They can be deflected by an electric field.
(C) They can be detected by a spark counter.
(D) They are radioactive.

23 A radioactive nucleus is represented by 22785 X . It emits a beta particle and forms a

different nucleus of element Y. Which of the following represents this new nucleus?
(A) 223
83Y
225
(B) 84 Y
228
(C) 85 Y
227
(D) 86 Y
24 A radioactive source is placed 2cm in front of a Geiger Muller tube which is connected
to a meter. Different absorbers are placed between the tube and the radioactive source.
The results are as follows.
absorber average count per
minute
20mm air 2600
1mm paper 2600
2mm aluminium 1500
2mm lead 800
What is the radioactive source emitting?
(A) alpha particles only
(B) alpha particles and beta particles
(C) beta particles and gamma rays
(D) gamma rays only
25 What are the particles in the nucleus of the oxygen isotope 178 O ?
electrons neutrons protons
A 0 9 8
B 0 17 8
C 8 0 9
D 8 9 0
26 Which action will most increase a person’s exposure to radioactivity?
(A) eating food that has been sterilized by exposure to gamma rays
(B) going for a flight in a high-flying aircraft
(C) opening the windows of a house
(D) using a Geiger-Muller tube and counter
27 Isotopes of an element contain the same number of
(A) atoms
(B) neutrons
(C) nucleons
(D) protons
28 An alpha particle is the same as
(A) a helium nucleus
(B) a high speed neutron
(C) a hydrogen nucleus
(D) electromagnetic radiation of short wavelength
29 The half-life of a given radioactive isotope is 10 years. The original mass of the isotope
is 12g. What mass of this isotope remains undecayed after 20 years?
(A) 0.6g (B) 1.2g (C) 3.0g (D) 6.0g
30 The table shows the composition of the nuclei of three nuclides, X, Y, and Z.
nuclide Number of protons Number of neutrons
X 12 12
Y 13 12
Z 13 13
Which nuclides are isotopes of the same element?
(A) X and Yonly
(B) X and Z only
(C) Y and Z only
(D) X,Y and Z
31 A beam consisting of α-particles, β-particles and γ-rays passes through a magnetic field
at right angles to the direction of the beam. What happens?
α-particles β-particles γ-rays
A deflected deflected deflected
B deflected deflected not deflected
C deflected not deflected deflected
D not deflected deflected deflected
32 A radioactive isotope has a half-life of 2 minutes. What can be deduced from this
statement?
1 1
(A) After minute, of the isotope remains.
2 4
1
(B) After 1 minute, of the isotope remains.
4
1
(C) After 4 minutes, of the isotope remains.
4
(D) After 4 minutes, none of the isotope remains.
33 Why are γ-rays not deflected by a magnetic field?
(A) They are strongly penetrating
(B) They are weakly ionizing
(C) They have no charge
(D) They have no mass
34 A freshly made sample of radioactive material gives a count rate of 8000 counts per
minute. After twenty days, it gives a count-rate of 500 counts per minute. What is the
half-life of the material?
What is the half-life of the material?
(A) 4days (B) 5days (C) 20days (D) 80days
35 Why are radioactive sources stored in boxes lined with lead?
(A) Lead absorbs radiation and stops it from escaping into the room.
(B) Lead absorbs the radioactive source and makes it safe to handle.
(C) Lead completely stops the source from decaying and so it lasts longer.
(D) Lead slows down the rate at which the radioactive source decays.