FY QB P2/U1 Radioactivity NKapoor 1

MCQ OR Fill in the Blanks

Q1)Atomic mass number of an element is 232 and its atomic number is 90. The end product of this
radioactive element is an isotope of lead (atomic mass 208 and atomic number 82). The number of alpha
and beta particles emitted are
a) 4 and =6 b) 6 and =0 c) 6 and =4 d) 3 and =3
17
Q2)The rate of disintegration of a given sample of radio nuclides is 10 atoms/s and half-life is 1445
years. The number of atoms is
a) 1.44 10 b) 1.4 10 c) 6.57 10
17 17 27
d)none of these.
A 4 A 4 A 4
A
X Z 2Y Y
Z 2 Z 1 K
Q3)In the reaction represented by Z The decay in sequence are
a) , , b) , , c) , , d) , ,
Q4)A radioactive substance has a half-life of 60 minutes. During 3 hours the fraction of atom that have
decayed would be
a)12.5% b)87.5% c)8.5% d)25.1%
Q5)The element used for radioactive carbon dating for more than 5600 years is
14 234 238 94
a) C b) U c) U d) Po
Q6)A radioactive sample contains 50 atoms and has a half life of one year. Then the time required for all
the atoms to decay is
a) 10 years b)one year c)10 years c)
6
d None of the above
Ha 24
Q7)The half-life of the isotope 11 is 15 hrs. How much time does it take for 7/8th of a sample of this
isotope to decay?
a)75 hrs b)65 hrs c)55 hrs d)45 hrs

Q8)The half -life of a radioactive substance is

a) half the time it takes for the entire substance to decay b) usually about 50 years
c)the time for radium to change into lead d) the time for half the substance to decay

Q9)The half-life of a given nuclear disintegration A B

a) depends on the initial number of A atoms b) depends on the initial number of B atoms
c)is an exponentially increasing function of time d) is an exponentially decreasing function of time
e)none of the above
Q10)The radioactivity of an element becomes 1/64th of its original value in 60 second. The half value
period is
a) 0s b)15s c)10s d)5s
Q11)The half life of radioactive radon 3.8 days. the time at the end of which 1/20th of the radon sample
will remain undecayed is nearly ( log10e 0. 4343 )
a)1.6 days b)16.4 days c)20 days d) 3. 8 20days
Q12)A radioactive sample has a half life of 5 day. To decay from 8 microcurie to one microcurie, the
number of days will be
a)40 b)25 c)15 d)10
Q13)Which of the following are true about beta decay?
a) It results in an atom with a smaller atomic number. b)It results in the emission of an ectron.
c)It results in an atom with one less neutron d) It results in an atom with one more proton.
Q14)In decay, nucleon number is
+

a) Conserved b)not conserved c)unstable d)stable

Q15)The half life period of a radioactive sample depends upon
a)nature of substance b)pressure b)temperature d)all of the above
Q16)During a negative -decay
a)An atomic electron is ejected b)A neutron in the nucleus decays emitting an electron
c)An electron which is already present within the nucleus is ejected
d)A part of binding energy of nuclei is converted into an electron
FY QB P2/U1 Radioactivity NKapoor 2
Q17)Half-lives of two radioactive substances A and B are respectively 20 minutes and 40 minutes Initially
the sample of A and B have equal number of nuclei. After 80 minutes the ratio of remaining number of A
and B nuclei is a)1:16 b)4:1 c)1:4 d)1:1
Q18))If 10% of the radioactive material decay in 5 days. What would be percentage of amount of original
material left after 20 days?
a)65.6% b)75.6% c)85.6% d)None of the above
222 210
Rn Po
Q19)A nuclide 86 undergoes several decays and changes to 84 . How many particles and
particles are emitted?
a)=3 =4 b) =4 =4 c) =6 =4 d =12 =2
Q20)A radioactive sample has a half-life of 240 years. Which of the following statements about the sample
is correct?
a)The activity of the sample doubles after 240 years. b)The half-life of the sample becomes halved after 240 years.
c)The mass of the sample becomes halved after 24 000 years.
d)Half of the nuclei in the sample have undergone decay after 24 000 years.

F.Y. RADIOACTIVITY Short and Long questions

Q.1. Explain the terms: (i) Disintegration constant (ii) Half life (iii) Mean life of a radioactive
element & obtain relation between them.

Q.2. In a radioactive series consisting of parent A, daughter B and stable nuclide C, obtain the
number of atoms of A, B & C at any time t. (8).

Q.3. Write short note on radioactive series. (6)

Q.4. For a natural radioactive element how many series are possible? How many of these are in
existence and why? (4)

Q.5. In a radioactive series consisting of parent daughter stable nuclides ( A-B-C ) , write the
number of nuclei at given time of each nuclides and discuss the following cases :- (i) Parent is
very much longer lived than daughter. (ii) Parent is longer lived than daughter. (iii) Parent and
daughter with almost same half life. (iv) Parent shorter lived than daughter. Plot suitable
graph.(6-8)

Q.6. If radioactive nuclide is produced at a constant rate of q nuclei/ sec. Find an expression for
the number of undecayed nuclei of the nuclide with time. What will be the number after a very
long time ? (6)

Q.7. Write short notes on :- (i) Carbon dating.( 04-08) ii) Transient equilibrium

iii) Sceular equilibrium

Q.8. Compute the half life of U238 given that 3.25 x 10-7 Kg. of Ra226 is found per Kg. of U238 in
very old minerals. The half life of Ra226 is 1600 years. (4)

Q.9. Consider a radioactive series whose first two numbers have lives of 5 hours and 12 hours
respectively, While the third number is stable. Assume that there are initially 10 3 atoms of the first
member and zero of the second and third members.(a) Indicate graphically, as function of time,
the numbers of atoms of three kind. (b) Find the time when the numbers of atoms of second
member reach its maximum value. (c) What are the number of the three members when the
second reaches its maximum.
FY QB P2/U1 Radioactivity NKapoor 3
Q.10. The wood of a living tree contains C14 activity of 12 dis/ min./ gm. During an archaeological
survey a piece of wood from the ruins of an ancient dwelling was found to have a mass of 36
gm. and the c14 activity of 224 dis./ min. Estimate the age of the archaeological find. ( T = 5568
years) ()

Q.11. Two isotopes of a certain elements have half lives T 1 & T2. They are observed on the earth
with abundances A1 & A2 resply. Assuming that these isotopes were equally abundant at the
formation of the earth, Calculate the age of earth in terms of mean life. ()

Q.12. A piece of wood weighs 50 gms. and shows c14 activity of 320 dis/ min. Estimate the
Length of time which has elapsed since this piece of wood was part of a living tree, assuming
that living plants show an activity of 12 dis/min/ gm. T= 5730 years. (

Q.13. Compute the value of the disintegration constant per second for K-40, T= 1.3 x 10 years.
Determine the number of beta particles emitted/ sec. by one gm. of K40. ( = 6.025 x 1023 per
mole. Abundance of potassium 40 = .0118%. Compute the number of beta particles per second
emitted by one gm. of sample.

Q.14. What activity in dis/min. gm. would be expected for carbon sample from bones that are
said to be 2000 years old. Activity of c14 in living plant =15dis/min. gm. T= 5570 yrs.

Q.15. In natural uranium the isotopes U238 & U235 are in ratio 140:1. Assuming that at the time of
formation of earth both the isotopes were equally abundant, estimate the age of the earth. T- U238
= 4.5 x 109 yrs and T - U235 = 7.1 x 108 years. ()

Q.16. Find the activity in curie of 9.3 x 1011 Kg. of pb214 if T = 26.8 min. ()

Q.17 In an archeological expedition charcoal from an ancient fire pit was excavated. The sample
showed a C14 activity of 111.3 count/gm/min. The absolute activity of C14 in a living tree is 15.3
counts / gm / min. Estimate the age of the charcoal sample. T 1/2 of C14=5730years.

Q.18) The half-life of a radioactive substance is 5 years. What time must elapse before a
32 microgram sample is reduced to 2 micrograms of the radioactive material?

Q19)Carbon-14 dating is a common technique for finding the age of remains. The half-life of
carbon-14 is 5700 years. It is known that the atmosphere contains 10 carbon-14 atoms in every
1013 carbon atoms. In a piece of ancient remains of an animal, there are 3 carbon-14 atoms in
every 1013 carbon atoms. Estimate the age of the remains.