NUCLEAR CHEMISTRY MCQs

1. Which particle has a positive charge and low penetrating power?

(A) Alpha particle

(B) Neutron

(C) Gamma ray

(D) Beta particle

2. The time required for half of the radioactive atoms to decay is called:

(A) Activity rate

(B) Mass defect

(C) Half-life

(D) Binding energy

3. Gamma rays belong to which category?

(A) Electromagnetic radiation

(B) Sound waves

(C) Electron beams

(D) Nuclear fragments

4. Which unit is used to measure radioactivity?

(A) Newton

(B) Decibel

(C) Ampere

(D) Becquerel

5. The process in which a heavy nucleus splits into two smaller nuclei is known as:

(A) Electrolysis

(B) Fusion

(C) Ionization

(D) Fission

6. A particle that has no charge and high penetrating ability is:

(A) Neutron

(B) Proton

(C) Alpha particle

(D) Positron

7. Which law or equation relates mass and energy?

(A) Joule-Thomson law

(B) Graham’s law

(C) Dalton’s law

(D) Einstein’s equation

8. The stability of a nucleus primarily depends on the ratio of:

(A) Neutrons to protons

(B) Electrons to protons

(C) Electrons to neutrons

(D) Quarks to gluons

9. The instrument commonly used to detect nuclear radiation is:

(A) Hygrometer

(B) Manometer

(C) Calorimeter

(D) Geiger-Müller counter

10. Alpha decay reduces the mass number of a nucleus by:

(A) 1

(B) 4

(C) 3

(D) 2

11. Beta-minus decay converts a:

(A) Neutron into a proton

(B) Proton into a neutron

(C) Neutron into an electron

(D) Proton into an alpha particle

12. Which of the following has the highest ionizing power?

(A) Gamma rays

(B) X-rays

(C) Alpha particles

(D) Beta particles

13. Carbon-14 is primarily used for:

(A) Atmospheric testing

(B) Space exploration

(C) Medical imaging

(D) Radiocarbon dating

14. Nuclear fusion occurs naturally in:

(A) Earth’s crust

(B) Oceans

(C) Volcanoes

(D) Stars

15. The particle with the same mass as an electron but opposite charge is:

(A) Neutrino

(B) Neutron

(C) Meson

(D) Positron

16. The spontaneous emission of radiation by unstable nuclei is known as:

(A) Combustion

(B) Magnetization

(C) Polymerization

(D) Radioactivity

17. The unit used to measure absorbed dose of radiation is:

(A) Torr

(B) Gray

(C) Henry

(D) Kelvin

18. A radioactive isotope used for cancer treatment is:

(A) Carbon-12

(B) Iron-55

(C) Cobalt-60

(D) Uranium-238

19. The strong nuclear force acts between:

(A) Electrons only

(B) Protons and electrons

(C) Protons and neutrons

(D) Photons and electrons

20. The particle responsible for carrying energy in gamma radiation is a:

(A) Proton

(B) Electron

(C) Neutron

(D) Photon

21. Which radiation is used in medical imaging (PET scan)?

(A) Positron emission

(B) Neutron beam

(C) Alpha radiation

(D) Infrared radiation

22. Nuclear fission is initiated by the absorption of:

(A) Electron

(B) Neutron

(C) Proton

(D) Gamma ray

23. A nuclide with the same mass number but different atomic number is called:

(A) Isotope

(B) Isobar

(C) Isomer

(D) Isotone

24. The energy released in a nuclear reaction comes from:

(A) Electron sharing

(B) Electrical energy

(C) Mass defect

(D) Heat evaporation

25. Which shielding material is most effective against gamma rays?

(A) Paper

(B) Aluminum

(C) Glass

(D) Lead

26. Tritium is an isotope of:

(A) Oxygen

(B) Hydrogen

(C) Carbon

(D) Nitrogen

27. The chain reaction in a nuclear reactor is controlled using:

(A) Copper rods

(B) Carbon dioxide

(C) Salt water

(D) Control rods

28. In beta-plus decay, a proton is converted into a:

(A) Beta-minus particle

(B) Alpha particle

(C) Gamma ray

(D) Neutron

29. Which radioactive element is widely used in smoke detectors?

(A) Uranium-235

(B) Carbon-14

(C) Radon-222

(D) Americium-241

30. The decay constant is represented by the symbol:

(A) α

(B) β

(C) δ

(D) λ

31. A fission reaction typically releases:

(A) Only electrons

(B) Only beta particles

(C) Only photons

(D) Neutrons and energy

32. Nuclear fusion requires extremely high:

(A) Chemical catalysts

(B) Water density

(C) Magnetic strength

(D) Pressure and temperature

33. A neutron has a charge equal to:

(A) +1

(B) –1

(C) +2

(D) 0

34. The curve representing radioactive decay is:

(A) Linear

(B) Parabolic

(C) Sigmoidal

(D) Exponential

35. The SI unit of equivalent radiation dose is:

(A) Coulomb

(B) Kelvin

(C) Pascal

(D) Sievert

36. A radionuclide that emits only gamma radiation undergoes:

(A) Transmutation

(B) Nuclear splitting

(C) Isomerism

(D) De-excitation

37. A nuclear reactor moderator slows down:

(A) Electrons

(B) Protons

(C) Neutrons

(D) Photons

38. The first artificial transmutation was performed by:

(A) Chadwick

(B) Bohr

(C) Rutherford

(D) Curie

39. The product of U-238 decay series is ultimately:

(A) Carbon

(B) Lead

(C) Tin

(D) Radon

40. X-rays are produced when high-speed electrons strike a:

(A) Wooden target

(B) Plastic surface

(C) Metal target

(D) Glass window

41. The SI unit of nuclear binding energy is:

(A) Watt

(B) Joule

(C) Mole

(D) Volt

42. The process in which two light nuclei combine to form a heavier nucleus is:

(A) Fusion

(B) Fission

(C) Ionization

(D) Sublimation

43. The daughter nucleus obtained after alpha decay has:

(A) Z–2 and A–4

(B) Z+2 and A+4

(C) Z–1 and A–2

(D) Z+1 and A+2

44. The source of energy in stars is mainly:

(A) Chemical combustion

(B) Nuclear fusion

(C) Radioactive decay

(D) Fission

45. Which isotope is used in PET imaging?

(A) Fluorine-18

(B) Oxygen-18

(C) Hydrogen-3

(D) Uranium-235

46. The force responsible for binding nucleons is carried by:

(A) Photons

(B) Electrons

(C) Gluons

(D) Neutrinos

47. A radioactive series ends when a ______ nucleus is formed.

(A) Excited

(B) Stable

(C) Charged

(D) Solidified

48. Which particle has the least penetrating power?

(A) Alpha particle

(B) Beta particle

(C) Gamma ray

(D) Neutron

49. The mass defect arises because:

(A) Nucleons lose mass when binding

(B) Energy is absorbed

(C) Electrons condense

(D) Atoms shrink

50. The radioisotope iodine-131 is used for diagnosing:

(A) Thyroid disorders

(B) Lung diseases

(C) Heart block

(D) Kidney stones