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Nuclear and Particle Physics MCQs — Physics (page 5)

330 multiple-choice questions on Nuclear and Particle Physics from Physics, each with the correct answer and, where available, a teacher's explanation. Read through them to revise the chapter, then practise the same questions one by one to test yourself.

101. Antimatter on Earth is found only:

  1. in large mines
  2. in the Earth's core
  3. in the oceans
  4. in tiny amounts, briefly, from decays and collisions

Answer: D) in tiny amounts, briefly, from decays and collisions

Explanation: Created and soon annihilated. SLO P-11-F-26 · Knowledge

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102. A beta^- particle is:

  1. a fast-moving electron
  2. a helium nucleus
  3. a photon
  4. a positron

Answer: A) a fast-moving electron

Explanation: Charge -e. SLO P-11-F-08 · Understanding

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103. In beta^+ decay, a proton (uud) becomes a neutron with quarks:

  1. uud
  2. ddd
  3. uuu
  4. udd

Answer: D) udd

Explanation: One u to d. SLO P-11-F-15 · Knowledge

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104. A pi^- meson has the quark composition:

  1. ubard
  2. barud
  3. udd
  4. dbard

Answer: B) barud

Explanation: Charge - 23 - 13 = -1. SLO P-11-F-14 · Knowledge

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105. Which is a meson?

  1. proton
  2. electron
  3. neutron
  4. pion

Answer: D) pion

Explanation: Quark–antiquark pair. SLO P-11-F-14 · Knowledge

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106. The three charged leptons are:

  1. up, down, strange
  2. electron, muon and tau
  3. photon, gluon, W
  4. proton, neutron, electron

Answer: B) electron, muon and tau

Explanation: Each has a neutrino partner. SLO P-11-F-16 · Knowledge

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107. The antiparticle of the proton is the:

  1. antiproton
  2. pion
  3. positron
  4. neutron

Answer: A) antiproton

Explanation: Charge -e. SLO P-11-F-19 · Understanding

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108. The study of the origin of the matter excess is called:

  1. electrolysis
  2. photosynthesis
  3. baryogenesis
  4. nucleosynthesis only

Answer: C) baryogenesis

Explanation: Generation of baryons. SLO P-11-F-27 · Understanding

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109. The Higgs boson has an electric charge of:

  1. +e
  2. zero
  3. -e
  4. + 23e

Answer: B) zero

Explanation: Neutral. SLO P-11-F-18 · Knowledge

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110. Lepton number is conserved in reactions, so in beta^- decay the electron (L = +1) is accompanied by:

  1. a neutrino (L = +1)
  2. a proton
  3. a positron
  4. an antineutrino (L = −1)

Answer: D) an antineutrino (L = −1)

Explanation: Total lepton number stays 0. SLO P-11-F-16 · Knowledge

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111. Which particle is NOT a hadron?

  1. neutron
  2. pion
  3. proton
  4. electron

Answer: D) electron

Explanation: Electrons are leptons. SLO P-11-F-14 · Knowledge

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112. The charge of a meson ubaru is:

  1. 0
  2. -e
  3. +e
  4. + 43e

Answer: A) 0

Explanation: 23 - 23 = 0. SLO P-11-F-14 · Knowledge

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113. The mass of the Higgs boson is about:

  1. 0.511 MeV/c^2
  2. 125 GeV/c^2
  3. zero
  4. 938 MeV/c^2

Answer: B) 125 GeV/c^2

Explanation: About 133 proton masses. SLO P-11-F-18 · Knowledge

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114. The W bosons have charge:

  1. pm 13e
  2. pm 2e
  3. pm e
  4. zero

Answer: C) pm e

Explanation: W^+ and W^-. SLO P-11-F-17 · Knowledge

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115. The minimum energy of each photon in pair production of an electron–positron pair (by a single photon near a nucleus) is:

  1. 0.511 MeV
  2. 1.02 MeV
  3. 938 MeV
  4. 0.1 MeV

Answer: B) 1.02 MeV

Explanation: 2mec^2. SLO P-11-F-28 · Understanding

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116. One theory suggests that mass and force arise from:

  1. heat
  2. quantum fields that are energised
  3. magnetism only
  4. chemical reactions

Answer: B) quantum fields that are energised

Explanation: Quantum field theory. SLO P-11-F-22 · Understanding

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117. Why are there several contending theories about mass and force?

  1. the deepest questions are unresolved and current experiments can't yet decide between them
  2. all theories have been proven
  3. scientists disagree about experimental results
  4. there is no evidence for forces

Answer: A) the deepest questions are unresolved and current experiments can't yet decide between them

Explanation: Active research. SLO P-11-F-22 · Understanding

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118. Antiparticles show that the universe has a deep symmetry between:

  1. heat and cold
  2. matter and antimatter
  3. light and sound
  4. mass and charge

Answer: B) matter and antimatter

Explanation: Charge conjugation. SLO P-11-F-25 · Understanding

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119. Electron–positron annihilation at rest usually produces:

  1. two gamma-ray photons travelling in opposite directions
  2. a neutron
  3. one gamma photon
  4. an alpha particle

Answer: A) two gamma-ray photons travelling in opposite directions

Explanation: Two photons conserve momentum. SLO P-11-F-28 · Understanding

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120. Mass is not exactly conserved in nuclear reactions because:

  1. nucleons are destroyed
  2. neutrons disappear
  3. charge is lost
  4. some mass is converted to energy (E = mc^2)

Answer: D) some mass is converted to energy (E = mc^2)

Explanation: Nucleon number is conserved instead. SLO P-11-F-07 · Knowledge

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121. Experiments at CERN study antihydrogen to:

  1. measure the speed of sound
  2. look for tiny differences between matter and antimatter
  3. create gold
  4. make fuel

Answer: B) look for tiny differences between matter and antimatter

Explanation: Precision tests. SLO P-11-F-27 · Understanding

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122. The weight of a positron in a gravitational field equals:

  1. that of an electron
  2. negative of that of an electron
  3. that of a proton
  4. zero

Answer: A) that of an electron

Explanation: Same mass. SLO P-11-F-25 · Understanding

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123. Exchange particles are all:

  1. quarks
  2. leptons
  3. bosons
  4. fermions

Answer: C) bosons

Explanation: Integer spin. SLO P-11-F-17 · Knowledge

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124. Two electrons repel each other by exchanging:

  1. W bosons
  2. virtual photons
  3. neutrinos
  4. gluons

Answer: B) virtual photons

Explanation: Electromagnetic interaction. SLO P-11-F-17 · Knowledge

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125. The antiproton has:

  1. twice the proton's charge
  2. the mass of a proton and a negative charge
  3. no charge
  4. the mass of an electron and a positive charge

Answer: B) the mass of a proton and a negative charge

Explanation: Antiparticle of the proton. SLO P-11-F-09 · Understanding

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