Question 1
Which of the following particles is emitted during alpha decay?
A. Electron
B. Positron
C. Helium nucleus
D. Photon
Question 2
Which type of radioactive decay results in no change in the atomic number of the nucleus?
A. Alpha decay
B. Beta-minus decay
C. Gamma decay
D. Beta-plus decay
Question 3
For a given element, if the neutron-to-proton ratio is too high, which type of decay is it most likely to undergo?
A. Alpha decay
B. Beta-minus decay
C. Gamma decay
D. Beta-plus decay
Question 4
Which of the following is NOT a method used to confine plasma in nuclear fusion reactors?
A. Magnetic confinement
B. Inertial confinement
C. Gravitational confinement
D. Thermal confinement
Question 5
In nuclear fission, what is the primary factor that determines whether a chain reaction will be sustained?
A. Temperature of the reactor
B. Presence of control rods
C. Amount of fissile material present
D. Neutron absorption by the surrounding medium
Question 6
a) Define the term "radioactive decay" and explain why certain nuclei are unstable. [2]
b) Uranium-238 undergoes alpha decay to form Thorium-234. Write down the nuclear equation for this decay process. [2]
Question 7
a) Describe the difference between beta-minus and beta-plus decay. [2]
b) Carbon-14 undergoes beta-minus decay. What is the resulting daughter nucleus? [2]
Question 8
a) What is the significance of the neutron-proton ratio in determining the stability of a nucleus? [2]
b) Explain the concept of "binding energy" in the context of nuclear physics. [2]
Question 9
a) Describe the process of gamma decay and explain how it differs from alpha and beta decays. [3]
b) Why is gamma radiation often accompanied by other types of radioactive decay? [2]
c) Which type of radiation - alpha, beta, or gamma - has the greatest penetration ability? [2]
Question 10
a) What is meant by the term "work function" in the context of the photoelectric effect? [3]
b) How does the frequency of incident light affect the kinetic energy of emitted electrons? [2]
c) If the work function of a metal is 2 eV, what is the minimum frequency of light required to induce the photoelectric effect? [3]