Chapter 30: Nuclear Physics and Radioactivity
MCAT Study Guide



1.  

A nitrogen atom has 7 protons and 6 neutrons. What is its atomic mass number?
1
6
7
13

2.  

Which is an isotope of
182
63		X?

182
62		X
182
64		X
180
63		X
180
62		X

3.  

What is the number of neutrons in
140
54		Xe?
54
86
140
194

4.  

Consider the ground state of the atom containing the nucleus
207
82		Pb.

The number of electrons in this atom is ___.
82
125
207
289
some other value

5.  

Consider the ground state of the atom containing the nucleus
207
82		Pb.

The number of neutrons in this atom is ___.
82
125
207
289
some other value

6.  

Consider the nucleus
56
26		Fe
the most abundant isotope of iron. This nucleus has a volume of Vo and an average mass po. Now consider the nucleus
112
48		Cd.

The volume of the
112
48		Cd
nucleus is approximately Vo x ___.
0.50
1.0
1.5
2.0
2.5
some other value

7.  

Consider the nucleus
56
26		Fe
the most abundant isotope of iron. This nucleus has a volume of Vo and an average mass po. Now consider the nucleus
112
48		Cd.

The average mass density of the
112
48		Cd
nucleus is approximately po x ___.
0.50
1.0
1.5
2.0
2.5
some other value

8.  

The main force responsible for holding the nucleons together in a nuclide is
coulombic force.
nuclear force.
electronic force.
gravitational force.

9.  

A radionuclide decays completely. In the reaction flask only helium gas is found. The decay process was probably
-decay.
a-decay.
y-decay.
positron emission.

10.  

A certain radionuclide decays by emitting an a-particle. What is the difference between the atomic numbers of the parent and the daughter nuclides?
1
2
4
6

11.  

Which species has no net charge?
a-particle
electron
proton
neutrino

12.  

What is the difference in mass number between the parent and daughter nuclides after a -decay process?
-1
O
1
2

13.  

In the following equation, what is X?
14
7		N+
4
2		He
17
8		O+X
a proton
a positron
a -particle
an a-particle

14.  

What is the value of the mass number of the daughter nuclide in the equation below?
34
15		P
A
Z		S +
0
-1		e
14
15
33
34

15.  

What is the atomic number of the daughter nuclide in the following reaction?
30
15		P
A
Z		S +
0
+1		e

14
16
30
31

16.  

Radon gas, Rn, has a half-life of 4 days. If a sample of Rn gas in a container is initially doubled, the half-life will be
halved.
doubled.
quartered.
unchanged.

17.  

What is the half-life of a radionnuclide if 1/16 of its initial mass is present after 2 hours?
15 min
30 min
45 min
60 min

18.  

The half-life of
22
11		Na
is 2.6 years. If X grams of this sodium isotope are initially present, how much is left after 13 years?
1/32X
1/13X
1/8X
1/5X

19.  

If
13
7		N
has a half-life of about 10.0 minutes, how long will it take for 20 grams of the isotope to decay to 2.5 grams?
5 min
10 min
20 min
30 min


Bosworth et al, ARCO MCAT SuperCourse (MacMillan, 1997). Copyright 1997, 1996, 1994, 1991 by Stefan Bosworth, Ronald Drucker, Edgar Schnebel, Denise Garlan, Rosie Soy and Marion Brisk. Used by permission of MacMillan, Inc.

For more information, go to http://www.novapress.net/mcat/books.html.

The Virtual Prof's Physics Study Guide for the MCAT. Copyright 1997 by Glen Terrell and RonJon Publishing, Inc. Used by permission of Glen Terrell. For more information, go to http://www.virtualprof.com.


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