Regents Review
Nuclear Worksheet
1. Given the nuclear equation:
1
1H
9. Which nuclear emission has the greatest penetrating power?
A. alpha particle
C. gamma radiation
B. beta particle
D. positron
+ X → 63Li + 42He
10. Which nuclear de cay emission consists of energy, only?
A. alpha particle
C. gamma radiation
B. beta particle
D. positron
The particle repr esented by X is
A. 94Li
B. 94Be
C. 10
5 Be
D. 10
6 C
11. If 18 of an original sample of kry pton-7 4 remains unchanged
after 34.5 minutes, what is the half-life of krypton-74?
A. 11.5 min
C. 34.5 min
B. 23.0 min
D. 46.0 min
2. Which isotope will spontaneously decay and emit particles
with a charge of +2?
A. 53Fe
C. l98 Au
B. 137Cs
D. 220Fr
12. What is the half-life of sodium-25 if 1.00 gram of a 16.00gram sample of sodium-25 remains unchanged af ter 237
seconds?
A. 47.4 s
C. 79.0 s
B. 59.3 s
D. 118 s
3. Which reaction is an example of natural transmutation?
235
4
A. 239
94 Pu → 92 U + 2He
4
30
1
B. 27
13Al + 2He → 15P + 0n
238
1
239
C. 92 U + 0n → 94 Pu + 2 0-1 e
1
147
90
1
D. 239
94 Pu + 0n → 56 Ba + 38Sr + 3 0n
13. Atoms of one element are converted to atoms of another
element through
A. fermentation
C. polymerization
B. oxidation
D. transmutation
4. What is the mass number of an alpha particle?
A. 1
C. 0
B. 2
D. 4
14. Given the nuclear equation:
5. Which group of nuclear emissions is listed in order of
increasing charge?
A. alpha particle, beta par ticle, gamma radiation
B. gamma radiation, al pha par ticle, beta particle
C. positron, alpha particle, neutron
D. neutron, positron, alpha particle
Which particle is repres ented by X?
6. Which notation of a radioisotope is correctly paired with the
notation of its emission particle?
A. 37Ca and 42He
B. 235U and 0+1e
C. 16N and 11p
D. 3H and 0–1e
7. Positrons ar e spontaneously emitted from the nuclei of
A. potassium-37
C. nitrogen-16
B. radium-226
D. thorium-232
8. Given the nuclear equation:
19
10Ne
Mr. Beauchamp
A.
C.
B.
D.
15. Which equation repr esents the radioactive decay of
222
4
A. 226
88 Ra - 86 Rn + 2He
226
226
B. 88 Ra - 89 Ac + 0–1e
226
0
C. 226
88 Ra - 87 Fr + +1 e
226
225
D. 88 Ra - 88 Ra + 10n
19
→ X + 9F
What particle is repres ented by X?
A. alpha
C. neutron
B. beta
D. positron
Page 1
226
88 Ra?
Nuclear Worksheet
16. The chart below shows the sponta neous nuclear decay of U238 to Th-234 to Pa-234 to U-234.
Which phrase best desc ribes this type of reaction and the
overall energy change that occurs?
A. nuclear, and energy is released
B. nuclear, and energy is absorbed
C. chemical, and energy is released
D. chemical, and energy is absorbed
What is the correct order of nuclear decay modes f or the
change from U-238 to U-2 34?
A. î‚ decay, decay, î‚‚ decay
B. î‚ decay, î‚ decay, í decay
C. í decay, í decay, î‚ decay
D. í decay, î‚ decay, î‚ decay
21. Which statement best describes what happens in a fission
reaction?
A. Heavy nuclei split into lighter nuclei.
B. Light nuclei form into heavier nuclei.
C. Energy is released and less stable elements are formed.
D. Energy is absorbed and more stable elements are
formed.
17. Types of nuclear reactions include fission, fusion, and
A. single replacement
C. oxidation-reduction
B. neutralization
D. transmutation
22. In which reaction is mass converted to energy by the process
of fission?
1
14
1
A. 14
7 N + 0n - 6 C + 1H
235
1
87
1
B. 92 U + 0n - 35Br + 146
57 La + 3 0n
226
222
4
C. 88 Ra - 86 Ra + 2He
D. 21H + 21H - 42He
18. Given the fusion reaction:
2
1
H + 21H → X + energy
Which particle is repres ented by X?
A. 11H
B. 32He
C. 31H
D. 42He
19. Which nuclear equation represents a natural transmutation?
A.
B.
C.
D.
20. Given the diagram representing a reaction:
23. Which equation represents a fusion reaction?
A. H2O(g) → H2O(…)
B. C(s) + O 2(g) → CO 2(g)
C. 21 H + 31 H → 42 He + 10 n
1
142
91
1
D. 235
92 U + 0 n → 56 Ba + 36 Kr + 3 0 n
24. Which change takes place in a nuclear fusion reaction?
A. Matter is converted to ener gy.
B. Energy is converted to matter.
C. Ionic bonds are converted to covalent bonds.
D. Covalent bonds are converted to ionic bonds.
25. Nuclear fusion differs from nuclear fission because nuclear
fusion reactions
A. form heavier isotopes from lighter isotopes
B. form lighter isotopes from heavier isotopes
C. convert mass to energy
D. convert ener gy to mass
Page 2
Nuclear Worksheet
26. A nuclear fission reaction and a nuclear fusion reaction are
similar because both reactions
A. form heavy nuclides from light nuclides
B. form light nuclides from heavy nuclides
C. release a large amount of energy
D. absorb a large amount of energy
Base your answers to questions 32 and 33 on the information
below.
A U-23 8 atom decays to a Pb-20 6 atom through a
series of steps. Each point on the graph below represents
a nuclide and each arrow represents a nuclear decay
mode.
27. The energy released by a nuclear reaction results pr imarily
from the
A. breaking of bonds between atoms
B. formation of bonds between atoms
C. conversion of mass into energy
D. conversion of energy into mass
28. The amount of energy released from a fission reaction is
much greater than the energy released from a chemical
reaction because in a fission reaction
A. mass is converted into energy
B. energy is converted into mass
C. ionic bonds are broken
D. covalent bonds are broken
29. Which statement explains why nuclear waste materials may
pose a problem?
A. They frequently have short h alf-lives and remain
radioactive for brief periods of time.
B. They frequently have short h alf-lives and remain
radioactive for extended periods of time.
C. They frequently have long half-lives and remain
radioactive for brief periods of time.
D. They frequently have long half-lives and remain
radioactive for extended periods of time.
30. The decay of which radioisotope ca n be used to estimate the
age of the fossilized remains of an insect?
A. Rn-222
C. Co-60
B. I-131
D. C-14
31. Which radioisotope is used in medicine to trea t thyroid
disorders?
A. cobalt-60
C. phosphorus-32
B. iodine-131
D. uranium-238
32. Based on this graph, what particle is emitted during the
nuclear decay of a Po-218 atom?
33. Explain why the U-238 disintegration series ends with the
nuclide Pb-206.
34. Based on Reference Table N, what is the fraction of a
sample of potassium-42 that will remain unchanged after
62.0 hours?
35. Complete the nuclear equation below. Include the symbol,
atomic number, and mass number for the missing particle.
Page 3
Nuclear Worksheet
Base your answers to questions 36 and 37 on the information
below.
The fossilized remains of a plant were found at a construction
1
site. The fossilized remains contain 116
the amount of carbon-14 that
is present in a living plant.
36. Complete the nuclear equation for the decay of C-14 . Your
response must include the atomic number, the mass number,
and the symbol of the missing par ticle.
37. Determine the appr oximate age of these fo ssilized remains.
Base your answers to questions 38 through 40 on the information below
In living organisms, the ratio of the naturally occurring isotopes of carbon, C-1 2 to C-13 to C-14, is fairly consistent. When
an organism such as a woolly mammoth died, it stopped taking in carbon, and the amount of C-14 pres ent in the mammoth
began to decr ease. For exa mple, one fossil of a woolly mammoth is found to have of the amount of C-14 found in a living
organism.
38. Determine the total time that has e lapsed since this woolly mammoth died.
39. Identify the type of nuclear reaction that ca used the amount of C-14 in the woolly
mammoth to decrease after the organism died.
40. State, in terms of subatomic partic les, how an atom of C-13 is different f rom an atom of C-12.
Base your answers to questions 41 and 42 on the information below.
Some radioisotopes used as tracer s make it possible for doctors to see the images of i nternal body parts and observe their
functions. The table below lists information about three radioisotopes and the body part each radioisotope is used to study.
41. It could take up to 60. hours for a radioisotope to b e delivered to the hospital from the laboratory where it is produced. What f raction
of an original sample of 24Na remains unchanged after 60. hours?
42. Write the equation for the nuclear decay of the radioisotope used to s tudy red blood cells. Include both the atomic number and the
mass number for each missing particle.
59
Fe → ____ + ____ + energy
Page 4
Nuclear Worksheet
Answer Key
1.
B
29.
D
2.
D
30.
D
3.
A
31.
B
4.
D
32. Examples: – 42He – alpha
particle – í
5.
D
6.
D
7.
A
8.
D
33. Examples: – T he nucleus of
Pb-20 6 is stable. – Pb-206 is
not radioactive. – If Pb-2 06
were not stable, it would
spontaneously decay.
34.
9.
11
32
or 0.3125
C
35.
10.
C
11.
A
12.
B
13.
D
14.
A
15.
A
16.
D
17.
D
18.
D
19.
D
40. A C-13 atom has seven
neutrons and a C-12 atom has
six neutrons.
20.
A
41. Examples:
21.
A
0
42. Examples: 59
26FE → –1e +
59
59
0
or 26Fe → 27Co + –1î
22.
B
23.
C
24.
A
25.
A
26.
C
27.
C
28.
A
36.
37. 22 920 y
38. 28 650 y
39. Examples: – natural
transmutation – transmutation
– beta deca y – radioactive
decay
11
16
or 0.0625 or 614%
59
27Co