Nuclear Physics Quizzes: Test Your Understanding

Question 1

Which of the following is **not** an application of nuclear physics in medicine?

Accepted Answer

Laser surgery

Answer

Radiotherapy

Answer

Radioactive tracers

Answer

Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) imaging

Question 2

Which of the following forces is NOT fundamental in nuclear physics?

Accepted Answer

Gravitational force

Answer

Strong nuclear force

Answer

Electromagnetic force

Answer

Weak force

Question 3

In a nuclear reaction, which quantity is NOT universally conserved?

Accepted Answer

Spin

Answer

Mass

Answer

Energy

Answer

Momentum

Question 4

Which isotope of uranium is primarily used as fuel in nuclear power plants?

Accepted Answer

Uranium-235

Answer

Uranium-238

Answer

Plutonium-239

Answer

Thorium-232

Question 5

Which of the following is NOT a type of nuclear radiation?

Accepted Answer

Neutrons

Answer

Alpha particles

Answer

Beta particles

Answer

Gamma rays

Question 6

Who is credited with the discovery of nuclear fission?

Accepted Answer

Lise Meitner and Otto Hahn

Answer

Albert Einstein

Answer

Marie Curie

Answer

Ernest Rutherford

Question 7

What process describes the spontaneous emission of particles by an unstable atomic nucleus to attain stability?

Accepted Answer

Radioactive decay

Answer

Nuclear fusion

Answer

Nuclear fission

Answer

Electron capture

Question 8

Which type of nuclear reaction involves the splitting of a massive atomic nucleus?

Accepted Answer

Nuclear fission

Answer

Nuclear fusion

Answer

Nuclear bombardment

Answer

Beta decay

Question 9

Define the half-life of a radioactive substance:

Accepted Answer

Time taken for half of its nuclei to decay

Answer

Time taken for all of its nuclei to decay

Answer

Time taken for its activity to double

Answer

Time taken for its activity to halve

Question 10

Describe the mass defect of an atomic nucleus:

Accepted Answer

Mass difference between the nucleus and its constituent protons and neutrons

Answer

Mass difference between the nucleus and its protons

Answer

Mass difference between the nucleus and its neutrons

Answer

Mass difference between the protons and neutrons

Question 11

Which process involves the combination of two light nuclei to form a heavier one?

Accepted Answer

Nuclear fusion

Answer

Nuclear fission

Answer

Nuclear bombardment

Answer

Electron capture

Question 12

Which of the following is the standard symbol for the alpha particle?

Accepted Answer

α

Answer

β

Answer

γ

Answer

n

Question 13

What is the term for the process where an unstable atomic nucleus emits particles or radiation to release energy?

Accepted Answer

Radioactivity

Answer

Nuclear fission

Answer

Nuclear fusion

Answer

Nuclear decay

Question 14

Which of the following types of nuclear reactions involves the combination of two lighter nuclei to form a heavier nucleus?

Accepted Answer

Nuclear fusion

Answer

Nuclear fission

Answer

Radioactive decay

Answer

Nuclear bombardment

Question 15

What is the SI unit of measurement for radioactivity?

Accepted Answer

Becquerel

Answer

Gray

Answer

Sievert

Answer

Curie

Question 16

Which of the following scientists is credited with the discovery of the neutron?

Accepted Answer

James Chadwick

Answer

Albert Einstein

Answer

Niels Bohr

Answer

Marie Curie

Question 17

What is the term for the fundamental force that holds protons and neutrons together in the nucleus?

Accepted Answer

Strong nuclear force

Answer

Gravitational force

Answer

Electrostatic force

Answer

Weak nuclear force

Question 18

What is the term for a nuclear reactor that can maintain a self-sustaining chain reaction?

Accepted Answer

Critical reactor

Answer

Subcritical reactor

Answer

Supercritical reactor

Answer

Fast reactor

Question 19

Which of the following is the strongest fundamental force in nature?

Accepted Answer

Strong nuclear force

Answer

Electrostatic force

Answer

Gravitational force

Answer

Van der Waals force

Question 20

Which isotope is commonly used as a fuel in nuclear power plants?

Accepted Answer

Uranium-235

Answer

Uranium-232

Answer

Thorium-232

Answer

Plutonium-238

Question 21

What component in a nuclear reactor helps slow down neutrons to increase the likelihood of nuclear reactions?

Accepted Answer

Moderator

Answer

Control rods

Answer

Fuel rods

Answer

Coolant

Question 22

What is the SI unit used to measure the activity of a radioactive source?

Accepted Answer

Becquerel

Answer

Gray

Answer

Sievert

Answer

Rad

Question 23

The process of combining two lighter nuclei to form a heavier nucleus is known as:

Accepted Answer

Nuclear fusion

Answer

Nuclear fission

Answer

Nuclear decay

Answer

Beta decay

Question 24

Which of the following equations accurately represents nuclear fusion?

Accepted Answer

A + B → C + energy

Answer

C → A + B + energy

Answer

A → B + C + energy

Answer

B + C → A + energy

Question 25

Which particle is NOT present in the nucleus of an atom?

Accepted Answer

Electron

Answer

Proton

Answer

Neutron

Answer

Alpha particle

Question 26

Which type of radiation possesses the greatest penetrating power?

Accepted Answer

Gamma rays

Answer

Alpha particles

Answer

Beta particles

Answer

Neutrons

Question 27

Nuclear reactions release substantial energy because:

Accepted Answer

Mass is transformed into energy.

Answer

Energy is transformed into mass.

Answer

The total mass of the products exceeds the total mass of the reactants.

Answer

The total mass of the reactants exceeds the total mass of the products.

Question 28

What is the definition of binding energy per nucleon for a nucleus?

Accepted Answer

The total energy of the nucleus divided by the number of nucleons

Answer

The energy required to extract a nucleon from the nucleus

Answer

The energy released when a nucleon is incorporated into the nucleus

Answer

The difference in mass between the nucleus and its constituent nucleons

Question 29

Which type of radioactive decay involves the emission of an alpha particle?

Accepted Answer

Alpha decay

Answer

Beta decay

Answer

Gamma decay

Answer

Positron emission

Question 30

What is the term for a nuclear reaction that occurs without external influence?

Accepted Answer

Radioactive decay

Answer

Nuclear fission

Answer

Nuclear fusion

Answer

Nuclear bombardment

Question 31

The radioactive decay constant represents:

Accepted Answer

The probability of decay per unit time

Answer

The half-life of the radioactive substance

Answer

The total number of radioactive nuclei present

Answer

The rate of change in the number of radioactive nuclei

Question 32

In which type of nuclear reaction does a heavy nucleus split into smaller nuclei?

Accepted Answer

Fission

Answer

Fusion

Answer

Spallation

Answer

Capture

Question 33

Who is credited with discovering nuclear fission?

Accepted Answer

Otto Hahn and Fritz Strassmann

Answer

Albert Einstein

Answer

Marie Curie

Answer

Niels Bohr

Question 34

The mass defect of a nucleus is the:

Accepted Answer

Difference between the mass of the nucleus and the mass of its constituent nucleons

Answer

Energy released when a nucleus is formed

Answer

Energy required to break up a nucleus

Answer

Number of neutrons in the nucleus

Question 35

Nuclear fusion reactions typically occur under conditions of:

Accepted Answer

High temperatures and high pressures

Answer

Low temperatures and high pressures

Answer

High temperatures and low pressures

Answer

Low temperatures and low pressures

Question 36

The half-life of a radioactive isotope is defined as:

Accepted Answer

The time it takes for half of the atoms in a sample to decay

Answer

The time it takes for all of the atoms in a sample to decay

Answer

The time it takes for the activity of a sample to decrease to one-quarter of its initial value

Answer

The time it takes for the activity of a sample to increase to twice its initial value

Question 37

The mass number of an atom of iodine-131 is:

Accepted Answer

131

Answer

127

Answer

53

Answer

78

Question 38

Which of the following is a characteristic property of beta particles?

Accepted Answer

They have a negative charge and are identical to electrons

Answer

They are highly penetrating

Answer

They have a positive charge

Answer

They are not affected by magnetic fields

Question 39

The main difference between nuclear fission and nuclear fusion is that:

Accepted Answer

Fission involves the splitting of heavy nuclei, while fusion involves the combining of light nuclei

Answer

Fission releases energy, while fusion requires energy

Answer

Fission produces radioactive waste, while fusion does not

Answer

Fusion is used in nuclear reactors, while fission is used in nuclear weapons

Question 40

The SI unit of radioactivity is the:

Accepted Answer

Becquerel

Answer

Curie

Answer

Gray

Answer

Sievert

Question 41

Which particle is NOT a fundamental component of an atom?

Accepted Answer

Quark

Answer

Proton

Answer

Neutron

Answer

Electron

Question 42

Which radioactive decay process involves the emission of an alpha particle?

Accepted Answer

Alpha decay

Answer

Beta decay

Answer

Gamma decay

Answer

Neutron decay

Question 43

What is a defining characteristic of a nuclear reaction?

Accepted Answer

Involves alterations in the structure of atomic nuclei

Answer

Releases a substantial amount of energy

Answer

Occurs spontaneously and without external triggers

Answer

Requires extremely high temperatures to initiate

Question 44

Which force is responsible for binding protons and neutrons within a nucleus?

Accepted Answer

Strong nuclear force

Answer

Weak nuclear force

Answer

Electromagnetic force

Answer

Gravitational force

Question 45

Which of the following is NOT an application of nuclear physics?

Accepted Answer

Combustion of fossil fuels

Answer

Nuclear power generation

Answer

Medical imaging techniques

Answer

Cancer treatment

Question 46

What is the primary function of a moderator in a nuclear reactor?

Accepted Answer

To slow down neutrons

Answer

To accelerate neutrons

Answer

To absorb neutrons

Answer

To reflect neutrons

Question 47

Which unit is used to measure the rate of radioactive decay?

Accepted Answer

Becquerel (Bq)

Answer

Gray (Gy)

Answer

Sievert (Sv)

Answer

Coulomb (C)

Question 48

During a nuclear reaction, which quantity remains conserved?

Accepted Answer

Both mass number and energy

Answer

Mass number

Answer

Charge number

Answer

Atomic number

Question 49

Which type of nuclear radiation possesses the highest penetrating power?

Accepted Answer

Gamma rays

Answer

Alpha particles

Answer

Beta particles

Answer

Neutrons

Question 50

What is the composition of an atomic nucleus?

Accepted Answer

Protons and neutrons

Answer

Protons, neutrons, and electrons

Answer

Neutrons and electrons

Answer

Protons only

Question 51

Which process involves the splitting of a heavy nucleus into smaller nuclei?

Accepted Answer

Nuclear fission

Answer

Nuclear fusion

Answer

Radioactive decay

Answer

Neutron absorption

Question 52

What is the definition of the half-life of a radioactive element?

Accepted Answer

The time required for half of the atoms in a sample to decay

Answer

The time required for all of the atoms in a sample to decay

Answer

The time required for the radiation activity of a sample to double

Answer

The time required for the mass of a sample to halve

Question 53

How is the mass defect of a nucleus related to its binding energy?

Accepted Answer

Mass defect is directly proportional to binding energy

Answer

Mass defect is inversely proportional to binding energy

Answer

Mass defect is equal to binding energy

Answer

There is no relationship between mass defect and binding energy

Question 54

Which symbol represents a gamma ray?

Accepted Answer

γ

Answer

α

Answer

β

Answer

δ

Question 55

What process involves the splitting of a nucleus into smaller nuclei?

Accepted Answer

Nuclear fission

Answer

Alpha decay

Answer

Beta decay

Answer

Gamma decay

Question 56

What is the purpose of a moderator in a nuclear reactor?

Accepted Answer

Slow down neutrons

Answer

Absorb neutrons

Answer

Reflect neutrons

Answer

Accelerate neutrons

Question 57

Define the half-life of a radioactive substance.

Accepted Answer

Time taken for half of the substance to decay

Answer

Time taken for all of the substance to decay

Answer

Time taken for the substance to become stable

Answer

Time taken for the substance to release half of its energy

Question 58

How are the mass number and atomic number of an atom related?

Accepted Answer

Mass number = Atomic number + number of neutrons

Answer

Mass number = Atomic number - number of neutrons

Answer

Atomic number = Mass number + number of neutrons

Answer

Atomic number = Mass number - number of neutrons

Question 59

What is the role of a control rod in a nuclear reactor?

Accepted Answer

Absorb neutrons and control fission rate

Answer

Release neutrons and increase fission rate

Answer

Reflect neutrons and prevent escape

Answer

Accelerate neutrons and increase their energy

Question 60

The emission of particles or energy from an unstable atomic nucleus to attain stability is termed:

Accepted Answer

Radioactivity

Answer

Nuclear fission

Answer

Nuclear fusion

Answer

Nuclear decay

Question 61

Which type of radioactive decay emits a helium nucleus?

Accepted Answer

Alpha decay

Answer

Beta decay

Answer

Gamma decay

Answer

Neutron decay

Question 62

Half-life in radioactive decay refers to:

Accepted Answer

The time taken for half of the substance to decay

Answer

The time taken for all of the substance to decay

Answer

The amount of substance that decays per unit time

Answer

The energy released by the decay of one atom

Question 63

Which reaction involves the division of a heavy nucleus into lighter nuclei?

Accepted Answer

Nuclear fission

Answer

Nuclear fusion

Answer

Beta decay

Answer

Gamma decay

Question 64

The immense energy released during nuclear fusion arises from:

Accepted Answer

Mass conversion into energy

Answer

Release of potential energy stored in the nucleus

Answer

Absorption of external energy

Answer

Decay of radioactive isotopes