Here’s a bank of 60 multiple-choice questions (MCQs) on Atomic and Nuclear Physics, categorized into easy, moderate, and tough questions as per your specifications. The questions are formatted to align with the BISE Gujranwala standards.
Easy Questions
1. What is the smallest unit of an element?
- A) Molecule
- B) Atom
- C) Ion
- D) Nucleus
2. Which particle is found in the nucleus of an atom?
- A) Electron
- B) Proton
- C) Neutron
- D) Both B and C
3. What type of radiation is emitted during natural radioactivity?
- A) Alpha radiation
- B) Beta radiation
- C) Gamma radiation
- D) All of the above
4. The half-life of a radioactive substance is:
- A) The time it takes for the substance to decay completely
- B) The time it takes for half of the substance to decay
- C) The total time it takes for all atoms to be stable
- D) The time taken for the substance to form new elements
5. Which of the following is a common use of radioisotopes?
- A) Cooking
- B) Medicine
- C) Electronics
- D) All of the above
6. What is the approximate mass of a proton?
- A) 1 amu
- B) 0.5 amu
- C) 0.1 amu
- D) 2 amu
7. Which of the following is an example of background radiation?
- A) X-rays
- B) Cosmic rays
- C) Smoke detectors
- D) UV rays
8. What is the process of splitting an atomic nucleus called?
- A) Fusion
- B) Fission
- C) Radioactive decay
- D) Transmutation
9. The main source of natural background radiation comes from:
- A) The Sun
- B) Rocks and soil
- C) Artificial sources
- D) All of the above
10. Which of the following particles has no charge?
- A) Proton
- B) Neutron
- C) Electron
- D) Both A and C
11. What is the main danger associated with ionizing radiation?
- A) It can cause electrical burns
- B) It can lead to genetic mutations
- C) It can create heat
- D) It can cause physical injuries
12. How is radiation measured?
- A) Meters
- B) Sieverts
- C) Joules
- D) Amperes
13. Which particle is negatively charged?
- A) Proton
- B) Neutron
- C) Electron
- D) Positron
14. What type of radiation is a helium nucleus?
- A) Beta radiation
- B) Alpha radiation
- C) Gamma radiation
- D) X-ray radiation
15. The term "radioactivity" was coined by:
- A) Isaac Newton
- B) Marie Curie
- C) Albert Einstein
- D) Niels Bohr
16. What is the primary use of cobalt-60 in medicine?
- A) Pain relief
- B) Radiation therapy
- C) Diagnosis
- D) Vaccination
17. Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of alpha particles?
- A) Heavy
- B) Positive charge
- C) High penetration power
- D) Can be stopped by paper
18. The nucleus of an atom is composed of:
- A) Electrons
- B) Protons and neutrons
- C) Ions
- D) Photons
Moderate Questions
19. What is the half-life of a radioactive isotope?
- A) The time taken for its mass to double
- B) The time taken for it to emit half of its radiation
- C) The time taken for half of the radioactive atoms to decay
- D) The time taken to complete a full decay cycle
20. Which of the following radioisotopes is used in thyroid treatments?
- A) Iodine-131
- B) Cobalt-60
- C) Uranium-238
- D) Carbon-14
21. In a nuclear fission reaction, which particle is often used to initiate the process?
- A) Proton
- B) Neutron
- C) Electron
- D) Alpha particle
22. What is the main difference between nuclear fusion and nuclear fission?
- A) Fusion combines atoms; fission splits them
- B) Fusion releases less energy; fission releases more
- C) Fusion occurs in power plants; fission does not
- D) There is no difference
23. Which of the following particles can penetrate most materials?
- A) Alpha particles
- B) Beta particles
- C) Gamma rays
- D) Neutrons
24. What does a Geiger counter measure?
- A) Temperature
- B) Radiation levels
- C) Voltage
- D) Mass
25. Which element is commonly associated with the process of nuclear fusion in stars?
- A) Uranium
- B) Hydrogen
- C) Helium
- D) Carbon
26. The primary hazard of radiation exposure is:
- A) Fire
- B) Explosions
- C) Ionization of atoms
- D) Chemical reactions
27. The process of converting one element into another through nuclear reactions is known as:
- A) Transmutation
- B) Fission
- C) Fusion
- D) Decay
28. Which of the following isotopes is used in smoke detectors?
- A) Americium-241
- B) Iodine-131
- C) Cobalt-60
- D) Carbon-14
29. The energy released during nuclear fission primarily comes from:
- A) Chemical reactions
- B) Kinetic energy of products
- C) Mass defect
- D) Light emission
30. A common safety measure to protect against radiation is:
- A) Increasing exposure time
- B) Using lead shielding
- C) Wearing glass
- D) Maintaining distance
31. What happens to the mass of an atom during a nuclear reaction?
- A) It increases
- B) It decreases
- C) It remains the same
- D) It varies randomly
32. Which radiation type is most easily stopped by skin?
- A) Alpha particles
- B) Beta particles
- C) Gamma rays
- D) Neutrons
33. The term "ionization" refers to:
- A) The loss of electrons
- B) The gain of protons
- C) The formation of molecules
- D) The creation of isotopes
34. What is the primary byproduct of nuclear fusion in stars?
- A) Helium
- B) Hydrogen
- C) Carbon
- D) Oxygen
35. Which of the following is a primary concern for nuclear waste disposal?
- A) Radioactive decay
- B) Chemical reactions
- C) Environmental contamination
- D) Both A and C
36. What type of nuclear reaction powers the sun?
- A) Fission
- B) Fusion
- C) Decay
- D) Transmutation
Tough Questions
37. What is the role of a neutron moderator in a nuclear reactor?
- A) To increase neutron speed
- B) To absorb excess radiation
- C) To slow down neutrons for fission
- D) To generate heat
38. Which of the following describes the term "radiological hazard"?
- A) A type of chemical exposure
- B) Exposure to biological agents
- C) Risk associated with radioactive materials
- D) None of the above
39. How is the concept of half-life crucial for carbon dating?
- A) It determines the age of living organisms
- B) It measures radioactive decay in years
- C) It helps estimate future emissions
- D) It indicates chemical stability
40. The primary reaction occurring in a thermonuclear bomb is:
- A) Fission
- B) Fusion
- C) Decay
- D) Transmutation
41. What is the critical mass in nuclear fission?
- A) The mass required to sustain a nuclear chain reaction
- B) The maximum mass of a fissionable material
- C) The minimum mass needed for fusion
- D) The total mass of waste produced
42. Which of the following isotopes has the longest half-life?
- A) Carbon-14
- B) Uranium-238
- C) Iodine-131
- D) Cobalt-60
43. In the context of radiation, what is "dose rate"?
- A) Total exposure over a lifetime
- B) Exposure measured in sieverts per hour
- C) The decay rate of radioactive isotopes
- D) The energy produced by a reaction
44. What type of radiation can cause damage at the cellular level?
- A) Non-ionizing radiation
- B) Ionizing radiation
- C) Visible light
- D) Sound waves
45. The term "nuclear decay" refers to:
- A) The splitting of atoms
- B) The emission of particles from the nucleus
- C) The creation of stable isotopes
- D) The combination of elements
46. In nuclear reactors, control rods are used to:
- A) Speed up the reaction
- B) Absorb neutrons and regulate the reaction rate
- C) Produce electricity
- D) Generate heat
47. The phenomenon where unstable nuclei emit energy is known as:
- A) Chemical reaction
- B) Radioactivity
- C) Electromagnetic radiation
- D) Thermal conduction
48. The discovery of radium and polonium by Marie Curie contributed significantly to:
- A) The understanding of chemical reactions
- B) The study of radioactivity
- C) The development of nuclear energy
- D) The invention of X-rays
49. What is a common application of radiation therapy?
- A) Treating infections
- B) Curing cancer
- C) Pain relief
- D) Diagnosing diseases
50. The difference between alpha and beta decay lies in:
- A) The charge of emitted particles
- B) The energy produced
- C) The stability of the resulting atom
- D) Both A and C
51. Which nuclear reaction is characterized by the fusion of hydrogen nuclei?
- A) Fission
- B) Nuclear decay
- C) Fusion
- D) Transmutation
52. The biological effects of radiation depend on:
- A) The type of radiation
- B) The dose received
- C) The duration of exposure
- D) All of the above
53. What happens to the atomic number of an element during beta decay?
- A) It increases by one
- B) It decreases by one
- C) It remains unchanged
- D) It doubles
54. The term "nuclear winter" refers to:
- A) A long period of cold following a nuclear explosion
- B) A seasonal climate change caused by nuclear reactions
- C) The freezing of all water bodies after a nuclear event
- D) The total extinction of plant life
55. In a controlled fusion reaction, the main challenge is:
- A) Generating sufficient heat
- B) Containing the plasma
- C) Achieving a chain reaction
- D) Finding suitable fuel
56. The concept of radiation hormesis suggests that:
- A) All radiation is harmful
- B) Low doses of radiation may have beneficial effects
- C) Radiation has no effect on health
- D) High doses of radiation are always safe
57. Which of the following is a characteristic of gamma radiation?
- A) It has a positive charge
- B) It is a form of electromagnetic radiation
- C) It can be stopped by paper
- D) It consists of particles
58. Which type of radiation therapy uses high-energy beams?
- A) Chemotherapy
- B) External beam radiation therapy
- C) Targeted therapy
- D) Immunotherapy
59. What is the role of radiation in medical imaging?
- A) To create heat
- B) To produce images of internal body structures
- C) To treat infections
- D) To stabilize tissues
60. What happens during a nuclear chain reaction?
- A) One reaction causes multiple reactions
- B) All reactions cease
- C) Only stable isotopes are formed
- D) The energy is completely absorbed
Answers
1. B
2. D
3. D
4. B
5. B
6. A
7. B
8. B
9. B
10. B
11. B
12. B
13. C
14. B
15. B
16. B
17. D
18. B
19. C
20. A
21. B
22. A
23. C
24. B
25. B
26. C
27. A
28. A
29. C
30. B
31. B
32. A
33. A
34. A
35. D
36. B
37. C
38. C
39. C
40. B
41. A
42. B
43. B
44. B
45. B
46. B
47. B
48. B
49. B
50. D
51. C
52. D
53. A
54. A
55. B
56. B
57. B
58. B
59. B
60. A