A Level Physics: Nuclei Stability and Radioactivity

What force is responsible for holding the nucleus together?

• Electromagnetic force

• Gravitational force

• Strong nuclear force

• Weak nuclear force

At what distance does the strong nuclear force become repulsive?

• About 3 femtometers

• More than 10 femtometers

• Exactly 1 femtometer

• Less than 1 femtometer

Why do larger nuclei require more neutrons?

• To increase gravitational pull

• To decrease the strong nuclear force

• To enhance electromagnetic force

• To balance the repulsive force between protons

What analogy is used to describe the strong nuclear force?

• Glue

• Magnet covered in velcro

• Rope

• Spring

What is emitted alongside a proton during beta decay?

• Positron

• Photon

• Neutron

• Electron and anti-neutrino

What does the conservation of charge in beta decay imply?

• Total charge decreases

• Total charge increases

• Total charge is doubled

• Total charge remains unchanged

Who proposed the existence of neutrinos?

• Enrico Fermi

• Wolfgang Pauli

• Niels Bohr

• Albert Einstein

What happens to the atomic number in beta decay?

• It remains the same

• It increases by 2

• It increases by 1

• It decreases by 1

What particle is considered a tiny piece of antimatter?

• Anti-neutrino

• Neutrino

• Proton

• Electron

What is the significance of alpha decay in large nuclei?

• It has no significant effect

• It stabilizes the nucleus by reducing mass

• It increases the nucleus size

• It makes the nucleus unstable