Understanding Radioactive Decay and Atomic Stability

What subatomic particles are found in the nucleus of an atom?

• Protons and neutrons

• Neutrons and electrons

• Protons, neutrons, and electrons

• Protons and electrons

What force holds the nucleus together and determines its stability?

• Weak nuclear force

• Strong nuclear force

• Gravitational force

• Electromagnetic force

What type of decay occurs when an atom has too many neutrons?

• Alpha decay

• Beta minus decay

• Gamma decay

• Beta plus decay

During alpha decay, what happens to the atomic number of an element?

• Increases by 1

• Decreases by 2

• Decreases by 1

• Remains the same

What is emitted during beta minus decay?

• A positron

• A neutron

• An electron

• A proton

What particle is identical to an electron but has an opposite charge?

• Positron

• Alpha particle

• Proton

• Neutron

On a proton-neutron graph, what does it indicate if an isotope lies to the right of the stability line?

• It does not decay

• It has too many neutrons

• It is stable

• It has too many protons

Which type of decay is likely if an atom has more than 82 protons?

• No decay

• Beta plus decay

• Alpha decay

• Beta minus decay