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Nuclear and Particle Physics MCQs — Physics (page 7)

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.

151. A gamma photon with energy above 1.02 MeV near a nucleus can produce:

  1. a neutron
  2. an electron–positron pair
  3. a proton
  4. an alpha particle

Answer: B) an electron–positron pair

Explanation: 2mec^2 = 1.02 MeV. SLO P-11-F-19 · Understanding

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152. A free neutron decays by:

  1. beta^- decay
  2. beta^+ decay
  3. gamma decay only
  4. alpha decay

Answer: A) beta^- decay

Explanation: Half-life about 10 minutes. SLO P-11-F-10 · Knowledge

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153. Which statement is correct?

  1. Antimatter is common on Earth
  2. The universe contains equal antimatter galaxies
  3. The observable universe is overwhelmingly made of matter
  4. There is no antimatter anywhere

Answer: C) The observable universe is overwhelmingly made of matter

Explanation: SLO statement. SLO P-11-F-26 · Knowledge

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154. A neutron and an antineutron both have zero charge but differ in:

  1. size
  2. nothing
  3. their quark content and magnetic moment direction
  4. mass

Answer: C) their quark content and magnetic moment direction

Explanation: Opposite quantum numbers. SLO P-11-F-19 · Understanding

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155. The antiparticle of a photon is:

  1. the gluon
  2. the positron
  3. the photon itself
  4. the graviton

Answer: C) the photon itself

Explanation: Neutral, self-conjugate. SLO P-11-F-19 · Understanding

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156. Beta particles from a particular nuclide have:

  1. a continuous range of energies up to a maximum
  2. energies only above the maximum
  3. one definite energy
  4. zero energy

Answer: A) a continuous range of energies up to a maximum

Explanation: Energy is shared with the (anti)neutrino. SLO P-11-F-11 · Understanding

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157. Which pair are particle and antiparticle?

  1. proton and neutron
  2. neutron and photon
  3. electron and proton
  4. electron and positron

Answer: D) electron and positron

Explanation: Same mass, opposite charge. SLO P-11-F-09 · Understanding

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158. The charge-to-mass ratio of a positron compared with an electron is:

  1. equal in size, opposite in sign
  2. twice as large
  3. zero
  4. the same sign

Answer: A) equal in size, opposite in sign

Explanation: pm e/me. SLO P-11-F-25 · Understanding

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159. PET scanners in hospitals use:

  1. sound waves
  2. X-rays only
  3. positrons emitted by radioactive tracers
  4. antiprotons

Answer: C) positrons emitted by radioactive tracers

Explanation: Positron Emission Tomography. SLO P-11-F-09 · Understanding

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160. The number of quarks in a nucleus of ^42 He is:

  1. 6
  2. 4
  3. 8
  4. 12

Answer: D) 12

Explanation: 4 nucleons × 3 quarks. SLO P-11-F-13 · Understanding

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161. Antiparticles are produced naturally in:

  1. ordinary light bulbs
  2. chemical reactions
  3. burning fuel
  4. beta^+ decay and cosmic-ray collisions

Answer: D) beta^+ decay and cosmic-ray collisions

Explanation: High-energy processes. SLO P-11-F-09 · Understanding

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162. Andrei Sakharov proposed conditions needed to produce more matter than antimatter, including:

  1. violation of baryon number conservation and CP symmetry
  2. no expansion of the universe
  3. infinite temperature forever
  4. conservation of all quantities

Answer: A) violation of baryon number conservation and CP symmetry

Explanation: Sakharov conditions (1967). SLO P-11-F-27 · Understanding

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163. The Standard Model explains mass through:

  1. gravity alone
  2. electric charge
  3. string vibrations
  4. the Higgs mechanism

Answer: D) the Higgs mechanism

Explanation: Interaction with the Higgs field. SLO P-11-F-22 · Understanding

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164. A two-body decay at rest gives each product a definite energy because:

  1. there is no energy
  2. gravity fixes it
  3. the products are identical
  4. momentum and energy conservation fix how the energy is shared

Answer: D) momentum and energy conservation fix how the energy is shared

Explanation: Equal and opposite momenta. SLO P-11-F-11 · Understanding

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165. Exchange particles are also called:

  1. baryons
  2. force carriers (gauge bosons)
  3. nucleons
  4. leptons

Answer: B) force carriers (gauge bosons)

Explanation: They transmit interactions. SLO P-11-F-17 · Knowledge

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166. Antiparticles are usually written with:

  1. a bar over the symbol or an opposite charge sign
  2. a dot
  3. a star
  4. underlining

Answer: A) a bar over the symbol or an opposite charge sign

Explanation: e.g. barp, e^+. SLO P-11-F-19 · Understanding

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167. The charge of an up quark is:

  1. +e
  2. - 13e
  3. + 23e
  4. - 23e

Answer: C) + 23e

Explanation: Fractional charge. SLO P-11-F-12 · Understanding

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168. Annihilation of 1 g of antimatter with 1 g of matter would release about:

  1. 1 J
  2. 9 10^13 J
  3. 1.8 10^14 J
  4. 3 10^8 J

Answer: C) 1.8 10^14 J

Explanation: E = (0.002)(3 10^8)^2. SLO P-11-F-24 · Understanding

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169. Each quark has a baryon number of:

  1. 0
  2. - 13
  3. +1
  4. + 13

Answer: D) + 13

Explanation: Three quarks make +1. SLO P-11-F-20 · Understanding

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170. One idea to explain the asymmetry involves:

  1. the Moon's gravity
  2. heavy neutrinos decaying differently from their antiparticles (leptogenesis)
  3. chemical reactions
  4. photons turning into electrons

Answer: B) heavy neutrinos decaying differently from their antiparticles (leptogenesis)

Explanation: A research hypothesis. SLO P-11-F-27 · Understanding

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171. Electrons and neutrinos belong to the family of fundamental particles called:

  1. mesons
  2. baryons
  3. hadrons
  4. leptons

Answer: D) leptons

Explanation: They do not feel the strong force. SLO P-11-F-16 · Knowledge

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172. The (anti)neutrino in beta decay makes it a:

  1. four-body decay
  2. three-body decay
  3. two-body decay
  4. one-body decay

Answer: B) three-body decay

Explanation: Nucleus, electron, antineutrino. SLO P-11-F-11 · Understanding

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173. Particles gain mass by interacting with:

  1. gravity waves
  2. the electric field
  3. the Higgs field
  4. the magnetic field

Answer: C) the Higgs field

Explanation: Stronger interaction ⇒ larger mass. SLO P-11-F-18 · Knowledge

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174. In annihilation, which quantity is NOT conserved?

  1. total energy
  2. charge
  3. momentum
  4. rest mass

Answer: D) rest mass

Explanation: Rest mass becomes photon energy. SLO P-11-F-28 · Understanding

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175. Protons and neutrons together are called:

  1. leptons
  2. mesons
  3. nucleons
  4. quarks

Answer: C) nucleons

Explanation: Particles of the nucleus. SLO P-11-F-13 · Understanding

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