Nuclear Processes and Radiation

An isotope is an atom that has extra numbers of these particles. 

• electrons

• protons

• neutrons

• bosons

Radioactive isotopes undergo nuclear decay for this reason. 

• to make new elements

• to produce energy

• to combine chemically

• to become stable

Which form of radiation is the most highly energetic, being stopped only by lead or thick concrete?  

• alpha

• beta

• gamma

• neutrino

Which form of radiation is the lowest energy, composed of a helium nucleus and being stopped by a piece of paper?

• alpha

• beta

• gamma

• neutrino

Which form of radiation is an electron and can be stopped by a sheet of aluminum?

• alpha

• beta

• gamma

• neutrino

The time it takes for one half of a sample of radioisotopes to decay to a stable state is referred to as which of the following?

• half-life

• periodicity

• mass defect

• radiometrics

A 100g sample of element X has a half-life of 3 hours. How much of the sample would be left after 9 hours?

• 50 g

• 25 g

• 12.5 g

• 6.25 g

How does carbon-14 end up in the cells of living organisms? 

• cosmic radiation

• bio-accumulation

• transdermal absortion

• solar insertion

What are the requirements for using carbon-14 as a method of radioisotope dating?

• samples that are organic

• samples that are more than 60,000 years old 

• samples that are fossilized  

• samples that are rocks or minerals

If carbon-14 has a half-life of 5700 years, how old is a sample that has only 25% of its carbon-14 left?

• 5700 years

• 11400 years

• 22800 years

• 45600 years