Atomic Structure questions

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Atomic Structure question collection

Review Atomic Structure questions for Physics, with correct answers shown and coverage across structure of atoms and nuclei; isotopes and radiation types; half-life.

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Question 1

Which particles make up the nucleus of an atom?
  1. Protons and neutrons
  2. Electrons and protons
  3. Neutrons and electrons
  4. Positrons and photons

Question 2

What does the atomic number Z represent?
  1. The number of protons in the nucleus
  2. The total number of neutrons and electrons
  3. The number of isotopes
  4. The number of energy levels

Question 3

For \(^{35}_{17}\text{Cl}\), how many neutrons are in the nucleus?
  1. \(18\)
  2. \(17\)
  3. \(35\)
  4. \(52\)

Question 4

Which pair of properties describes isotopes of one element?
  1. Same proton number; different neutron numbers
  2. Same neutron number; different proton numbers
  3. Same mass number; different proton numbers
  4. Different proton numbers; different electron shells

Question 5

Which type of radiation is a helium nucleus and carries \(+2\) charge?
  1. Alpha
  2. Beta
  3. Gamma
  4. X-ray

Question 6

Beta-minus radiation consists of which particles?
  1. High-speed electrons
  2. Protons
  3. Neutrons
  4. Alpha particles

Question 7

Which radiation is a high-energy photon and has no charge?
  1. Gamma
  2. Alpha
  3. Beta
  4. Neutron

Question 8

Place the types of radiation in order of increasing penetration through materials.
  1. Alpha, beta, gamma
  2. Gamma, beta, alpha
  3. Beta, alpha, gamma
  4. Alpha, gamma, beta

Question 9

Which radiation is most likely to be stopped by a sheet of paper?
  1. Alpha
  2. Gamma
  3. Beta
  4. Neutron

Question 10

Write the nuclear equation for the beta-minus decay of \(^{14}_6\text{C}\).
  1. \(^{14}_6\mathrm{C} \to ^{14}_7\mathrm{N} + ^{0}_{-1}\beta\)
  2. \(^{14}_6\mathrm{C} \to ^{13}_6\mathrm{C} + ^{1}_0\text{n}\)
  3. \(^{14}_6\mathrm{C} \to ^{14}_5\mathrm{B} + ^{1}_0\text{n}\)
  4. \(^{14}_6\mathrm{C} \to ^{13}_5\mathrm{B} + ^{0}_{-1}\beta\)

Question 11

What term describes the time for half of a radioactive sample to decay?
  1. Half-life
  2. Full life
  3. Decay constant
  4. Activity

Question 12

A sample has activity \(200\,\mathrm{Bq}\) and a half-life of \(2\,\mathrm{min}\). What is its activity after \(2\,\mathrm{min}\)?
  1. \(100\,\mathrm{Bq}\)
  2. \(0\,\mathrm{Bq}\)
  3. \(200\,\mathrm{Bq}\)
  4. \(400\,\mathrm{Bq}\)

Question 13

How can gamma radiation sterilise medical equipment?
  1. It damages microbes so they cannot reproduce
  2. It traces fluid flow through the equipment
  3. It measures the thickness of the equipment
  4. It makes the equipment emit visible light

Question 14

Why can a radioisotope act as a tracer?
  1. Its emitted radiation can be detected as it moves
  2. It changes the chemical properties of the fluid
  3. It colours the fluid along its path
  4. It blocks radiation outside the body

Question 15

Which radiation is most dangerous when inhaled?
  1. Alpha because it ionises strongly over a short range
  2. Gamma because it is absorbed in a short range
  3. Beta because it produces no ionisation
  4. Alpha because it passes straight out of the body

Question 16

Which is a natural source of background radiation?
  1. Cosmic rays and radioactive rocks
  2. Medical X-ray machines
  3. Current in domestic wiring
  4. Visible light from the Sun

Question 17

Which process splits a heavy nucleus into two smaller ones releasing energy?
  1. Fission
  2. Fusion
  3. Alpha decay
  4. Ionisation

Question 18

Why does nuclear fusion release energy in stars?
  1. Light nuclei join and some mass becomes energy
  2. Heavy nuclei split and gain extra mass
  3. Electrons join to form an alpha particle
  4. Neutrons turn directly into sound energy

Question 19

Why do isotopes have the same chemical behaviour?
  1. They have the same number of electrons
  2. They have the same mass number
  3. They emit the same radiation
  4. They contain the same number of neutrons

Question 20

How can one nuclear fission cause a chain reaction?
  1. Released neutrons cause further fissions
  2. Released electrons cause nuclear fusion
  3. Gamma rays turn directly into uranium
  4. The split nuclei rejoin immediately

Question 21

What did most alpha particles passing through foil show?
  1. Most of an atom is empty space
  2. Positive charge is spread evenly through the atom
  3. Electrons are concentrated inside the nucleus
  4. The nucleus fills most of the atom's volume

Question 22

What happens when alpha particles strike thin gold foil?
  1. Most pass through; a few deflect strongly
  2. Most rebound; a few pass through
  3. Similar numbers scatter at every angle
  4. Most stop inside the foil

Question 23

Which detection method records radiation counts per second?
  1. Geiger-Muller tube
  2. Voltmeter
  3. Spectrometer
  4. Barometer

Question 24

How can ionising radiation damage cells?
  1. Ionise molecules and break chemical bonds
  2. Warm molecules without changing their electrons
  3. Add neutrons to the nuclei of every cell
  4. Increase the mass of cell membranes

Question 25

Why is lead used to shield gamma radiation?
  1. Its high density absorbs gamma photons effectively
  2. Its magnetic field deflects gamma photons
  3. Its electric charge repels gamma photons
  4. Its low density lets gamma photons spread out

Question 26

What does an atom's mass number represent?
  1. Total protons and neutrons
  2. Total protons and electrons
  3. Neutrons minus protons
  4. Number of occupied electron shells

Question 27

What happens to an isotope's half-life if the sample size doubles?
  1. It stays the same
  2. It doubles
  3. It halves
  4. It becomes unpredictable

Question 28

A source has count rate \(800\,\mathrm{Bq}\) and half-life \(2\,\mathrm{h}\). What is its count rate after \(4\,\mathrm{h}\)?
  1. \(200\,\mathrm{Bq}\)
  2. \(400\,\mathrm{Bq}\)
  3. \(600\,\mathrm{Bq}\)
  4. \(100\,\mathrm{Bq}\)

Question 29

Why is radioactive decay described as random?
  1. An individual nucleus's decay time cannot be predicted
  2. Each nucleus decays at the same fixed age
  3. The sample's half-life changes after every decay
  4. The activity follows a repeating cycle

Question 30

Which material is suitable for absorbing beta radiation?
  1. A thin sheet of aluminium
  2. A sheet of paper
  3. A thick block of lead
  4. A transparent glass lens

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Review Atomic Structure questions for Physics, with correct answers shown and coverage across structure of atoms and nuclei; isotopes and radiation types; half-life.

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