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. Bismuth
- B. Protactinium
- C. Polonium
- D. Palladium
Explanation: Thorium-234 has a half-life of 24.1 days, emitting a beta particle that results in its transformation to protactinium-234.
Correct answer: Protactinium- A. Bismuth
- B. Protactinium
- C. Polonium
- D. Palladium
Explanation: The emission of gamma rays, or γ-rays, from radioactive elements is a process that typically occurs when an unstable nucleus undergoes…
Correct answer: Polonium- A. An alpha-particle
- B. An electron
- C. A neutron
- D. A proton
Explanation: Without going into deep discussions An easy way to solve such questions, is to balance charge(atomic number) and mass on both sides For…
Correct answer: A neutron- A. 931 KeV
- B. 931 MeV
- C. 39 MeV
- D. 139 KeV
Explanation: The correct answer is Option B: 931 MeV. By utilizing the mass-energy equivalence formula E=mc^2, we calculate that 1 atomic mass unit…
Correct answer: 931 MeV- A. Electrons
- B. Protons
- C. Phonons
- D. Photons
Explanation: A nuclear reactor is a device in which nuclear reactions are initiated,maintained,and controlled.It works on the principle of controlled…
Correct answer: Protons- A. Slowing down fast neutrons
- B. Speeding up slow neutrons
- C. Absorbing fast neutrons
- D. Regulating the power evel of the reactor
Explanation: Cadmium rods are used in a nuclear reactor for absorbing fast neutrons.
Correct answer: Absorbing fast neutrons- A. Atomic number and actual mass remain unchanged
- B. atomic number and actual mass both decrease
- C. atomic number and actual mass both increase
- D. atomic number remains the same but the actual mass decrease
Explanation: Radioactivity is the phenomena in which an unstable nuclei emits alpha particle, beta particle or gamma ray in order to achieve stability.
Correct answer: Atomic number and actual mass remain unchanged- A. Alpha particles
- B. Photons
- C. Protons
- D. Atoms
Explanation: Neurons can be slowed down if they collide with stationary protons. This process is called neutron moderation, and it involves…
Correct answer: Protons- A. Excitation energy
- B. Ionization energy
- C. Binding energy
- D. Work function
Explanation: Binding energy is the amount of energy required to break a nucleus into its nucleons (protons and neutrons).
Correct answer: Binding energy- A. fast neutrons
- B. slow neutrons
- C. thermal neutrons
- D. all of these
Explanation: Fission occurs when a neutron bumps into a larger atom, forcing it to excite and split into two smaller atoms, known as fission products.
Correct answer: fast neutrons- A. EB = fh
- B. EB = [(ZMP + N Mn) - ZMA] C2
- C. EB = ZMP C2 + N Mn ZMA C2
- D. EB = ZMP + N Mn - M C2
Explanation: The correct expression for nuclear binding energy is EB = [(ZMP + N Mn) - ZMA] C2.
Correct answer: EB = [(ZMP + N Mn) - ZMA] C2- A. Neutrons
- B. Protons
- C. Electrons
- D. Alpha particles
Explanation: When a nucleus fissions, it splits into several smaller fragments. These fragments, or fission products, are about equal to half the…
Correct answer: Neutrons- A. Neutrinos
- B. Protons
- C. Neutrons
- D. Mesons
Explanation: Neutrinos are subatomic particles that belong to the family of elementary particles known as leptons.
Correct answer: Neutrinos- A. Graphite
- B. Heavy water
- C. Boron rods
- D. Not required
Explanation: No moderator is used in the breeder reactor since fast neutrons are more efficient in transmuting U-238 to Pu-239.
Correct answer: Not required- A. Remove nucleons
- B. Remove an alpha-particle
- C. Remove a B-particle
- D. Separate the nucleus into its constituent nucleons
Explanation: When nuclear reactions occur, there is always a mass defect (products have lower mass than reactants).
Correct answer: Separate the nucleus into its constituent nucleons- A. Hydrogen
- B. Helium
- C. Nucleons
- D. Positrons
Explanation: Nuclear fusion in the sun involves the transformation of hydrogen into helium.
Correct answer: Helium- A. Three quarks
- B. Two quarks
- C. Two quarks and an anti-quark
- D. One quark and one anti-quark
Explanation: Baryons are heavy subatomic particles that are made up of three quarks.
Correct answer: Three quarks- A. C13
- B. N15
- C. F19
- D. O16
Explanation: The correct answer is O16. O16 has an even number of nucleons (8 protons and 8 neutrons), leading to a nuclear spin quantum number of 0.
Correct answer: O16- A. Proton - proton cycle
- B. Carbon- carbon cycle
- C. Co-co cycle
- D. Only A & B
Explanation: So, in the core of the Sun, there are high temperatures and pressures that allow for nuclear fusion to occur.
Correct answer: Only A & B- A. 1.00073
- B. 1.00087
- C. 1.0073
- D. 1.0087
Explanation: The relative atomic mass of a neutron is approximately 1.0073 atomic mass units (amu).
Correct answer: 1.0073