PHYSICS CHAPTER # 19

The Atomic Nucleus

1. The scientist who discovered electron from the study of the nature of cathode rays was: B
a) Ernest Rutherford b) Einstein
c) J. J. Thompson d) Niles Bohr
2. The nuclear model of the atom was derived partly from experiments involving the scattering of alpha C
particles performed by:
a) Newton b) Chadwick
c) Rutherford d) Einstein
3. Neutrons and Protons in the nucleus are together called: C
a) Atomic particles b) Mesons
c) Nucleons d) Photons
4. The bulk of the mass of an atom is concentrated in its: D
a) Electron shell b) Neutrons
c) Protons d) Nucleus
5. Nuclie having the same nuclear charge but different masses are called: A
a) Isotopes b) Isotones
c) Isomers d) Isobars
6. An atom of an element differ from an atom of one of its isotopes in the number of: B
a) Protons in the nucleus b) Neutrons in the nucleus
c) Electrons outside the nucleus d) Valence electrons
7. A naturally occurring disintegration involving the emission of high energy electrons is called: B
a) Alpha decay b) Beta decay
c) Gamma decay d) Sigma decay
8. Beta particles are: C
a) Hydrogen nuclei b) Helium nuclei
c) Electrons d) Photons
9. A deuteron is: A
a) A proton and neutron bound together b) A type of proton
c) A type of neutron d) A type of beta particle
11. A particle having the mass of an electron and the charge of a proton is called: D
a) Antiproton b) Photons
c) Betatron d) Positron
12. Fusion chain reaction are possible in: C
a) A nuclear reactor b) A linear acceleration
c) Sun and Stars d) All of the above
13. Atomic theory was announced by Dalton in: C
a) 1895 b) 1905
c) 1808 d) 1885
14. The electron was discovered by J. J. Thomson by passing an electric discharge through: C
a) A solid b) A liquid
c) A gas at low pressure d) A gas at high pressure
15. Charge on an electron was determined by: C
a) Ampere b) Maxwell
c) Millikan d) Thomson
16. Rutherford bombarded a thin sheet of gold with: C
a)  -rays b)  -rays
c)  -rays d) X-rays
17. Proton was discovered by Rutherford in: D
a) 1915 b) 1918
c) 1910 d) 1920
18. Chadwick discovered neutron by the study of scattering of alpha particles from: C
a) Gold foil b) Nitrogen
c) Beryllium d) Oxygen
19. Chadwick discovered in 1932: B
a) Proton b) Neutron
c) Atom d) Photon
20. Neutron was discovered by: D
a) Curie b) Roentgen
c) Rutherford d) Chadwick

Bahadur Ali Qureshi -1-

 PHYSICS CHAPTER # 19
The Atomic Nucleus
21. Isotopes of an element are atoms whose nuclei have: A
a) The same atomic number Z but differ in mass A
b) The same mass number A but differ in atomic number Z
c) The same number of neutrons but different number of protons
d) None of the above
22. Charge on neutron is: B
a) + 1.6  10-19C b) Zero
c) - 1.6  10-19C d) 1.2  10-19C
23. A particle having the mass of an electron and the charge of a proton is called a: B
a) Antiproton b) Positron
c) Gamma rays d) Photon
24. The nucleus consists of: A
a) Protons and neutrons b) Protons and electrons
c) Protons only d) Electrons and neutrons
25. Mass of neutron is: B
a) 1.6  10-31kg b) 1.6  10-27kg

c) 9.1 10 kg -31
d) 1.6  10-30kg
26. Mass of protons is: A
a) 1.6  10-27kg b) 1.6  10-31kg

c) 9.1 10 kg -31
d) 1.6  10-17kg
27. 1 amu is equal to: D
a) 1.66  10-24kg b) 1.66  10-19kg
c) 1.66  10 kg-34
d) 1.66  10-27kg
28. Atoms in an element whose atomic number are the same but have different mass number are called: C
a) Isobars b) Isotons
c) Isotopes d) Isomers
29. The nuclei having the same mass number but different atomic number are called: B
a) Isotopes b) Isobars
c) Isotones d) Isomers
31. A mass spectrograph (Spectrometer) sorts out: D
a) Molecules b) Atoms
c) Elements d) Isotopes
32. The chemical behaviour of an atom is determined by: C
a) Binding energy b) Number of isotopes
c) Atomic number d) Mass number
33. The mass of a positron is equal to the mass of: D
a) Neutron b) Proton
c) Deutron d) Electron
34. Nuclear force is: C
a) Attractive and long range b) Repulsive and long range
c) Attractive and short range d) None of the above
35. The sum of the masses of constituent nucleons as compared to the mass of the resultant nucleus is: B
a) Smaller b) Greater
c) The same d) Sometimes smaller sometimes greater
37. The amount of energy required to break the nucleus is called its: D
a) Nuclear energy b) Kinetic energy
c) Potential energy d) Binding energy
38. The amount of energy equivalent to 1 amu is: C
a) 9.315 Mev b) 93.15 Mev
c) 931.5 Mev d) 2.224 Mev
39. Radioactivity was discovered by: A
a) H. Becquerel b) Madam Curie
c) Rutherford d) Bohr
40.  ,  and  rays are emitted from a radio-active substance: A
a) Spontaneously b) When it interacts with the other particle
c) When it is heated d) When it is exposed to light
42. Curie is a unit of: D
a) Reluctance b) Binding energy
c) Resistivity d) Radioactivity

Bahadur Ali Qureshi -2-

 PHYSICS CHAPTER # 19
The Atomic Nucleus
43. The reciprocal of decay constant (  ) of a radioactive elements is: B
a) Half life b) Mean life
c) Total life d) Curie
44. An alpha particle is emitted from 88Ra226 what is the mass and atomic number of the daughter C
nucleus:
Mass Number Atomic Number Mass Number Atomic Number
a) 224 84 b) 220 80
c) 222 86 d) 226 87
45.  -particles are: B
a) Hydrogen nuclei b) Electrons
c) Protons d) Photons
46. Gamma rays consist of a stream of: C
a) Electrons b) Protons
c) Photons d) Positrons
47. Alpha particles are: D
a) Electrons b) Hydrogen nuclei
c) Photons d) Helium nuclei
48. The rate of decay (disintegration per unit time) of radioactive substance: B
a) Is constant b) Decreases exponentially with time
c) Varies inversely as time d) Decreases linearly with time
49. The binding energy per nucleon is: B
a) Greatest for heavy nuclei b) Least for heavy nuclei
c) Greatest for light nuclei d) Least for medium weight nuclei
50. A Curie represents a very strong source of: C
a)  -particle b)  -particle

c) Radioactivity d) -particle
52. During fission process, a large amount of: B
a) Heat energy is released b) Nuclear energy is released
c) Electrical energy is released d) Chemical energy is released
53. Controlled fission chain reaction is maintained in a: A
a) Nuclear reactor b) Linear accelerator
c) Cyclotron d) Stellerator
54. Fission chain reaction is controlled by introducing: B
a) Graphite rods b) Cadmium rods
c) Iron rods d) Platinum rods
55. The mass of fissionable material required for self-sustaining chain reaction is called the: C
a) Atomic mass b) Fermi mass
c) Critical mass d) Super critical mass
56. First atomic reactor was introduced by: C
a) Rutherford b) Wilson
c) Enrico Fermi d) Curie
57. The moderator used in a nuclear reactor is: D
a) Aluminium b) Sodium
c) Calcium d) Graphite
58. The atomic bomb is an example of: C
a) Controlled nuclear fission b) Controlled nuclear fusion
c) Uncontrolled nuclear fission d) Uncontrolled nuclear fusion
59. Tick the correct statement: A
a) Moderators slow down the neutrons b) Moderators absorb the fast neutrons
c) Moderators reflect the fast neutrons d) Moderators bring the neutrons to rest
60. In liquid metal fast breeder reactor, the type of uranium used is: B
a) 92U235 b) 92U238
234
c) 92U d) 92U239
61. The process in which two or more light nuclei combine together to form heavier nuclei with release B
of energy is called:
a) Fission b) Fusion
c) Chain reaction d) Chemical reaction

Bahadur Ali Qureshi -3-

 PHYSICS CHAPTER # 19
The Atomic Nucleus
62. The source of energy in the sun and the stars is mainly due to: B
a) Fission reaction b) Fusion reaction
c) Chain reaction d) Chemical reaction
63. Hydrogen bomb is an example of: B
a) Nuclear fission b) Nuclear fusion
c) Chain reaction d) Chemical reaction
64. The example of fusion reaction is: C
a) The formation of water from oxygen and hydrogen
b) The formation of barium and Krypton from uranium
c) The formation of helium from hydrogen d) None of the above
65. Materials can be identified by measuring their: D
a) Hardness b) Density
c) Mass d) Half-life
66. Radioactivity: C
a) is exhibited more by semiconductors in general
b) in exhibited more by the elements when they are coupled with other radio-active elements by a
convalent bond
c) is an atomic property of radioactive elements d) None of these
67. In 1819, J. J. Thomson performed famous experiment relating to the passage of electric current C
through:
a) Solids b) Liquids
c) Gases d) None of these
68. The charge on the electron was successfully determined by: B
a) Bohr in 1908 b) Millikan in 1909
c) Einstein in 1905 d) Dalton in 1908
69. According to Rutherford atomic model, the positive charge in an atom: A
a) is concentrated at its centre
b) are in the form of positive electrons at some distance from its centre
c) is spread uniformly through its volume d) is readily deflected by an alpha particle
70. For an atom having atomic number Z and atomic weight A, the number of neutrons in the nucleus is: A
a) A – Z b) A + Z
c) Z d) A
71. For an atom having atomic number Z and atomic weight A, the charge on the nucleus is: C
a) A - Z b) A + Z
c) Z d) A
72. For an atom having atomic number Z and atomic weight A, the number of electrons in the atom is: C
a) A - Z b) A + Z
c) Z d) A
74. Mass of proton is of the order of: D
a) 10-31 mg b) 10-27 kg
-24
c) 10 g d) All of them
75. Charge on proton is: D
a) + 1.59  10-9 C b) + 1.59  10-7 C

c) - 1.59 10 C -19
d) + 1.59  10-19 C
76. Mass defect per nucleon is called: C
a) average energy of nucleons b) binding energy of nucleus
c) packing fraction of nucleus d) None of these
77. The energy of an electron revolving in the first orbit of hydrogen atom is: D
a) -15.4 eV b) -3.4eV
c) +13.6eV d) -13.6eV
78. A gram mole of any substance contains: C
a) 6.021  108 atomic nuclei b) 6.022  1016 atomic nuclei
 23
c) 6.022 10 atomic nuclei d) 6.022  1021 atomic nuclei
81. The half life of phosphorus -32 is 15 days. A given mass of phosphorus-32 will be reduced to ¼ of B
its original mass in:
a) 60 days b) 30 days
c) 45 days d) 90 days
82. What percent of original radioactive atoms left after five half lives? A
a) 3% b) 5%
c) 10% d) 20%

Bahadur Ali Qureshi -4-

 PHYSICS CHAPTER # 19
The Atomic Nucleus
83. Radioactivity is: B
a) Self-distruptive activity b) spontaneous activity
c) exhibited by all elements under proper conditions d) both ‘a’ and ‘b’
84. Gamma rays carry a charge: D
a) -e b) +e
c) +2e d) None of these
85. Phenomenon of radioactivity is due to disintegration of: A
a) Nucleus b) Neutron
c) Proton d) Molecule
86.  -particle carries a charge: C
a) -2ve b) +2ve
c) -ve d) +ve
87. When a radioactive nucleus emits a  -particle, the proton-neutron ratio: B
a) decreases b) increases
c) remains the same d) none of these
88. The reciprocal of decay constant of a radioactive element is called its: B
a) Half life b) Mean life
c) Total life d) None of these
89. Nuclear reactions can be induced in 92U238 with the bombardment of: B
a) Slow neutron b) Fast neutron
c) Photon d) Graviton
90. Electron was discovered by: A
a) J. J. Thomson b) Einstein
c) Rutherford d) Neil Bohr
91. Neutrons were discovered by bombarding alpha particles on: C
a) Nitrogen b) Gold
c) Beryllium d) Helium
92. The phenomenon of spontaneous nuclear transformation accompanied by emission of energy is C
called:
a) Photoelectric effect b) Compton effect
c) Radioactivity d) Pair production
93. Proton was discovered by Rutherford by bombarding nitrogen with: A
a) Alpha particles b) Beta Particles
c) Gamma particles d) X-rays
94. An apparatus used to determine the masses of protons, nuclei, ions is: C
a) Wilson’s cloud chamber b) Geiger counter
c) Mass spectrometer d) Slid state detector
95. Which one of the following cannot be used as moderator: C
a) Graphite b) Heavy water
c) Lead d) None of these
96. Which one of the following can be used as neutron arrestor? D
a) Graphite b) Heavy water
c) uranium d) Cadmium
97. Which one of the following isotopes of uranium can undergo fission with bombardment of slow A
neutron:
a) 92U235 b) 92U234
238
c) 92U d) None of these
98. Half life of a given sample of radium is 22 years. The sample will reduce to 25% of its original value C
after:
a) 11 years b) 22 years
c) 44 years d) 88 years
99. According to Rutherford the size of the nucleus is of order of: B
a) 10-15 m b) 10-14 m
-13
c) 10 m d) 10-12 m
100. In discovery of nucleus Rutherford bombarded a thin gold foil with fast moving: C
a) Beta particles b) Gamma particles
c) Alpha particles d) X-rays
102. After alpha decay the atomic number of the atom: C
a) increases by four b) decreases by two
c) increases by two d) decreases by four

Bahadur Ali Qureshi -5-

 PHYSICS CHAPTER # 19
The Atomic Nucleus
103. The half-life of radium is 1600 years. What is the fraction of radium sample that would survive after D
6400 years?
a) 1/2 b) 1/4
c) 1/8 d) 1/16
104. Electron was discovered by J.J. Thomson by passing an electric discharge through: A
a) a gas at low pressure b) a liquid
c) a solid d) a gas at a pressure higher than atmospheric
pressure
105. Neutron was discovered by: A
a) Chadwick b) Rutherford
c) Neil Bohr d) Einstein
106. Electron was discovered in: B
a) 1895 b) 1891
c) 1885 d) 1808
107. Radioactivity was discovered by: B
a) Rutherford b) Henn Becquad
c) Einstein d) Rontgen
108. The charge on electron was discovered by Millikan in: C
a) 1895 b) 1905
c) 1909 d) 1916
109. Structure of the nucleus was explained by: D
a) J.J. Thomson b) Bohr
c) Millikan d) Rutherford
110. Rutherford discovered proton in: B
a) 1925 b) 1920
c) 1906 d) 1909
111. The diameter of an atom is of the order: C
a) 10-125 m b) 10-11 m
-10
c) 10 m d) 10-9 m
112. An atom of an element differs from an atom of one of its isotopes in the number of: A
a) Neutrons in the nucleus b) Protons in the nucleus
c) Electrons outside the nucleus d) Valence electrons
113. Nuclei that have the same charge number but different mass number are called: C
a) Isotones b) Isomers
c) Isotopes d) Isobars
114. One amu is equal to: A
a) 1.66 10-27 kg b) 1.6 10-19 kg

c) 1.66 10 kg -24
d) 1.67 10-31 kg
115. The rate of decay of a radioactive substance: A
a) decreases exponentially with time b) decreases linearly with time
c) increases linearly with time d) increases exponentially with time
116. Different radioactive materials have: B
a) Same half lives b) Different half lives
c) Same mean lives d) Same total lives
117. The half life of a radioactive element is 6 min. If the initial count rate is 824 per min, how long will A
it take to reach count rate 206:
a) 12 min b) 18 min
c) 36 min d) 72 min
118. The time required for a radioactive material to decrease in activity by one half is called: B
a) half time of the material b) Half life of the material
c) Disintegration time d) Mean life of material
120. After alpha decay the mass of the nucleus: B
a) Increases by four b) Decreases by four
c) Does not change d) Increases by two
121. Neutrons are: D
a) Positively charged b) Negatively charged
c) Massless d) Neutral
122. Alpha particles are: B
a) Hydrogen nuclei b) Helium nuclei
c) Lithium nuclei d) Beryllium nuclei

Bahadur Ali Qureshi -6-

 PHYSICS CHAPTER # 19
The Atomic Nucleus
123. Gamma particles are: A
a) Photons b) Electrons
c) Neutrons d) Protons
124. Beta particles are: B
a) Protons b) Electrons
c) Photons d) Neutrons

Bahadur Ali Qureshi -7-