What is radioactivity?
a) The emission of light from a material
b) The spontaneous emission of radiation from the nucleus of an unstable atom
c) The splitting of an atomic nucleus into smaller parts
d) The process of combining two nuclei to form one
Which particle is emitted during alpha decay?
a) Electron
b) Proton
c) Neutron
d) Helium nucleus
What happens during beta decay?
a) An electron is ejected from the nucleus
b) A neutron is converted into a proton
c) A proton is converted into a neutron
d) A helium nucleus is emitted
Which of the following is true about gamma radiation?
a) It has no mass or charge
b) It consists of high-energy protons
c) It is a type of charged particle
d) It consists of high-energy electrons
What is the unit of radioactivity?
a) Joules
b) Decibels
c) Becquerel (Bq)
d) Coulombs
What type of decay occurs when a nucleus emits a positron?
a) Alpha decay
b) Beta-plus decay
c) Gamma decay
d) Fission
Which radiation is most penetrating?
a) Alpha particles
b) Beta particles
c) Gamma rays
d) Neutrons
What is a half-life?
a) The time it takes for a sample of material to decay by half
b) The time required for all radioactive atoms to decay
c) The period it takes for an atom to become stable
d) The duration for a radioactive substance to become toxic
What type of radiation is stopped by a sheet of paper?
a) Alpha particles
b) Beta particles
c) Gamma rays
d) X-rays
Which of the following is NOT a common use of radioactive isotopes?
a) Medical imaging
b) Carbon dating
c) Food preservation
d) Producing electricity in solar panels
Which element is commonly used in nuclear reactors as a fuel?
a) Uranium-235
b) Carbon-14
c) Oxygen-18
d) Helium-4
What is the result of alpha decay on the atomic number of an atom?
a) It increases by 2
b) It decreases by 1
c) It decreases by 2
d) It remains the same
What happens to the mass number of an atom during beta decay?
a) It decreases by 4
b) It remains unchanged
c) It decreases by 1
d) It increases by 1
Which of the following is an example of a naturally occurring radioactive isotope?
a) Uranium-238
b) Technetium-99m
c) Cesium-137
d) Carbon-12
In which type of decay does a neutron transform into a proton?
a) Alpha decay
b) Beta decay
c) Gamma decay
d) Positron emission
What is emitted during gamma decay?
a) A proton
b) An electron
c) A gamma ray (photon)
d) A neutron
Which of the following can be used to detect radioactivity?
a) Thermometer
b) Geiger-Muller counter
c) Barometer
d) Spectrometer
What is a radioactive isotope’s rate of decay determined by?
a) The chemical composition of the atom
b) The temperature of the environment
c) The type of radiation emitted
d) The isotope’s half-life
What happens during positron emission?
a) An electron is emitted from the nucleus
b) A proton is converted into a neutron
c) A neutron is converted into a proton
d) A proton is converted into a positron
Which of the following particles is positively charged?
a) Neutron
b) Proton
c) Alpha particle
d) Electron
What is the term for the energy released during radioactive decay?
a) Work
b) Heat
c) Radiation
d) Kinetic energy
Which of the following materials is used to shield against gamma radiation?
a) Wood
b) Lead
c) Paper
d) Aluminum
What happens to the atomic number of an atom during alpha decay?
a) It increases by 1
b) It decreases by 2
c) It decreases by 1
d) It remains unchanged
What is a characteristic of beta particles?
a) They are positively charged
b) They have no charge
c) They are negatively charged electrons
d) They are helium nuclei
What is the main application of gamma radiation in medicine?
a) X-ray imaging
b) Cancer treatment (radiotherapy)
c) Bone scanning
d) Blood pressure measurement
How does the emission of an alpha particle affect the mass number of an atom?
a) It increases the mass number
b) It decreases the mass number by 2
c) It decreases the mass number by 1
d) It does not affect the mass number
What is a common use of radioactive isotopes in industry?
a) Food preservation
b) Energy production
c) Manufacturing metals
d) Radioactive dating
What is the main source of background radiation?
a) Artificial nuclear power plants
b) Cosmic rays
c) Nuclear waste dumps
d) Power lines
Which of the following is a consequence of nuclear decay?
a) The number of protons in the nucleus changes
b) The atom gains energy
c) The atom becomes chemically stable
d) The atom’s mass number increases
