Free Nuclear Physics MCQs with Answers
1,254 Nuclear Physics MCQs from Physics, each with the correct answer and a written explanation of why it is correct. Free and unlimited, with no account needed.
Atomic nuclei contain protons and neutrons, with nuclear size, mass defect and binding energy describing their stability. The work covers alpha, beta and gamma decay, decay equations, half-life and decay rate, along with radiation safety and medical applications such as imaging, radiotherapy and tracers.
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- A. 1/2
- B. 1/4
- C. 1/8
- D. 1/16
Explanation: Each half life halves the number of undecayed nuclei, so three of them give a half multiplied by a half multiplied by a half, which is one…
Correct answer: 1/8- A. 1/2 life of radioactive element
- B. 2/3 life of radioactive element
- C. 1/4 life of radioactive element
- D. 2/5 life of radioactive element
Explanation: The half life is the interval in which half the undecayed nuclei present decay, and because decay is random with a constant probability…
Correct answer: 1/2 life of radioactive element- A. Electromagnetic force
- B. Gravitational force
- C. Weak nuclear force
- D. Strong nuclear force
Explanation: The strong nuclear force acts over only a few femtometres but far exceeds the electrostatic repulsion between protons at that range, so it…
Correct answer: Strong nuclear force- A. Proton
- B. Meson
- C. Neutron
- D. Positron
Explanation: The electron's antiparticle is the positron, which has the same mass as an electron but an equal positive charge instead of a negative…
Correct answer: Positron- A. 1 gram
- B. 1 Kg
- C. 100 Kg
- D. None
Explanation: The platinum-iridium cylinder kept near Paris was the historical international prototype of the kilogram, so its standard mass was 1 kg.
Correct answer: 1 Kg- A. Anti-electrons
- B. Anti-proton
- C. Anti-neutron
- D. All of these
Explanation: Antimatter contains antiparticles, including positrons or anti-electrons, antiprotons and antineutrons, each having opposite relevant…
Correct answer: All of these- A. Chadwick
- B. Rutherford
- C. Neil Bohr
- D. Einstein
Explanation: James Chadwick discovered the neutron in 1932 by showing that penetrating radiation from beryllium consisted of neutral particles with…
Correct answer: Chadwick- A. massive nucleus join together
- B. massive nucleus splits to form smaller fragments
- C. both A & B
- D. None of these
Explanation: In nuclear fission, a heavy or massive nucleus splits into two or more smaller nuclei, releasing energy and usually neutrons.
Correct answer: massive nucleus splits to form smaller fragments- A. Moderators slow down the neutrons
- B. Moderators bring the neutrons to rest
- C. Moderators absorb the neutrons
- D. Moderators reflect the neutrons
Explanation: A moderator reduces the kinetic energy of fast neutrons through repeated collisions, bringing them to thermal energies suitable for…
Correct answer: Moderators slow down the neutrons- A. 18.336
- B. 1836
- C. 18360
- D. 183.6
Explanation: The weight ratio is approximately the mass ratio because both objects experience the same gravitational acceleration: Wh/We = mhg/meg =…
Correct answer: 1836- A. Plus one
- B. Plus two
- C. Minus two
- D. Minus one
Explanation: An alpha particle is a helium nucleus containing two protons and two neutrons, so its net charge is +2 elementary charges, written +2e.
Correct answer: Plus two- A. 92U235
- B. 92U238
- C. 92U234
- D. 92U239
Explanation: A liquid-metal fast breeder reactor uses uranium-238 as fertile material, which absorbs fast neutrons and can ultimately form…
Correct answer: 92U238- A. Heat energy is released
- B. Nuclear energy is released
- C. Chemical energy is released
- D. Light energy is released
Explanation: During fission, the combined mass of the products is slightly less than the original nuclear mass, and the mass difference is released as…
Correct answer: Nuclear energy is released- A. Smaller
- B. Greater than 82
- C. Same
- D. Sometimes smaller some times greater
Explanation: The separate nucleons have slightly greater total mass than the bound nucleus; the difference is the mass defect and corresponds to…
Correct answer: Greater than 82- A. Isotopes
- B. Isobars
- C. Isotones
- D. Isomers
Explanation: Nuclei with the same mass number A but different atomic numbers Z are called isobars, because they contain the same total number of…
Correct answer: Isobars- A. 1.67 x 10^-31 kg
- B. 1.67 x 10^-27 kg
- C. 9.1 x 10^-31 kg
- D. 1.67 x 10^-19 kg
Explanation: A neutron has a mass of approximately 1.67 x 10^-27 kg. The likely trap is 9.1 x 10^-31 kg, which is the mass of an electron, while 1.67 x…
Correct answer: 1.67 x 10^-27 kg- A. Antiproton
- B. Positron
- C. Gamma rays
- D. Photon
Explanation: A positron is the antiparticle of the electron, so it has the electron's mass, 9.1 x 10^-31 kg, but the proton's positive charge, +1.6 x…
Correct answer: Positron- A. Plus 1.6 x 10^-19C
- B. Zero
- C. Minus 1.6 x 10^-19C
- D. No definite charge
Explanation: A neutron is electrically neutral, so its charge is 0 C. The likely mistake is choosing +1.6 x 10^-19 C or -1.6 x 10^-19 C, which are the…
Correct answer: Zero- A. Ampere
- B. Maxwell
- C. Millikan
- D. Thomson
Explanation: Millikan measured the elementary charge using the oil-drop experiment, finding its magnitude to be about 1.6 x 10^-19 C.
Correct answer: Millikan- A. Binding energy per nucleon
- B. Energy of decay
- C. Destruction energy
- D. All of above
Explanation: Binding energy per nucleon is the average energy needed to remove one nucleon from a nucleus, calculated as total binding energy divided…
Correct answer: Binding energy per nucleon