MCQs / Physics / Nuclear and Particle Physics

Nuclear and Particle Physics MCQs — Physics (page 9)

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.

201. Leptons interact via:

  1. gluons
  2. no forces
  3. the weak force (and electromagnetic force if charged)
  4. the strong force only

Answer: C) the weak force (and electromagnetic force if charged)

Explanation: Neutrinos only feel the weak force (and gravity). SLO P-11-F-16 · Knowledge

Discuss this question

202. The Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN is:

  1. a telescope
  2. a small lab bench device
  3. a circular accelerator about 27 km in circumference
  4. a straight 1 km tube

Answer: C) a circular accelerator about 27 km in circumference

Explanation: Largest accelerator. SLO P-11-F-23 · Understanding

Discuss this question

203. A baryon number of 0 identifies a particle as:

  1. a meson (or a lepton)
  2. a baryon
  3. a nucleus
  4. an antibaryon

Answer: A) a meson (or a lepton)

Explanation: + 13 - 13 = 0. SLO P-11-F-21 · Knowledge

Discuss this question

204. In all nuclear reactions, the following are conserved:

  1. number of protons only
  2. nucleon number and charge
  3. mass only
  4. number of neutrons only

Answer: B) nucleon number and charge

Explanation: Total A and total Z balance. SLO P-11-F-07 · Knowledge

Discuss this question

205. W and Z bosons are the exchange particles for the:

  1. electromagnetic force
  2. weak force
  3. strong force
  4. gravity

Answer: B) weak force

Explanation: Responsible for beta decay. SLO P-11-F-17 · Knowledge

Discuss this question

206. The total charge of the quarks udd is:

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

Answer: C) 0

Explanation: Neutron. SLO P-11-F-13 · Understanding

Discuss this question

207. A linear accelerator (linac) accelerates particles:

  1. using sound waves
  2. in a straight line through a series of electrodes
  3. in a circle
  4. using gravity

Answer: B) in a straight line through a series of electrodes

Explanation: Alternating p.d. across gaps. SLO P-11-F-23 · Understanding

Discuss this question

208. Alpha particles are stopped by:

  1. nothing
  2. several mm of aluminium only
  3. a sheet of paper or a few cm of air
  4. thick lead only

Answer: C) a sheet of paper or a few cm of air

Explanation: Low penetration. SLO P-11-F-08 · Understanding

Discuss this question

209. The hypothetical carrier of gravity is the:

  1. photon
  2. Higgs boson
  3. gluon
  4. graviton

Answer: D) graviton

Explanation: Not yet observed. SLO P-11-F-17 · Knowledge

Discuss this question

210. In a magnetic field, an antiproton and a proton with the same speed move in circles of:

  1. straight lines
  2. the same direction
  3. equal radius, curving in opposite directions
  4. different radii

Answer: C) equal radius, curving in opposite directions

Explanation: r = mv/Bq. SLO P-11-F-25 · Understanding

Discuss this question

211. The masses of the quarks in a proton add up to:

  1. exactly the proton's mass
  2. more than the proton's mass
  3. only about 1% of the proton's mass
  4. zero

Answer: C) only about 1% of the proton's mass

Explanation: Most mass comes from binding energy. SLO P-11-F-20 · Understanding

Discuss this question

212. A graph of number of beta particles against their energy is:

  1. a horizontal line
  2. a single sharp line
  3. a smooth curve from zero up to a maximum energy
  4. several sharp lines only

Answer: C) a smooth curve from zero up to a maximum energy

Explanation: Continuous spectrum. SLO P-11-F-11 · Understanding

Discuss this question

213. A Delta^++ (uuu) is a baryon with charge:

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

Answer: C) +2e

Explanation: 3 23. SLO P-11-F-21 · Knowledge

Discuss this question

214. The quark model was proposed by:

  1. Isaac Newton
  2. Ernest Rutherford
  3. Albert Einstein
  4. Murray Gell-Mann and George Zweig

Answer: D) Murray Gell-Mann and George Zweig

Explanation: 1964. SLO P-11-F-12 · Understanding

Discuss this question

215. The Higgs boson is very short-lived and is detected by:

  1. its decay products
  2. seeing it directly
  3. its colour
  4. its smell

Answer: A) its decay products

Explanation: Decays almost instantly. SLO P-11-F-18 · Knowledge

Discuss this question

216. The Higgs boson is:

  1. a fundamental particle (boson)
  2. a type of quark
  3. a lepton
  4. a baryon

Answer: A) a fundamental particle (boson)

Explanation: Standard Model boson. SLO P-11-F-18 · Knowledge

Discuss this question

217. The Higgs boson was discovered in:

  1. 1905 by Einstein
  2. 2012 at CERN's Large Hadron Collider
  3. 1983 with W and Z
  4. 1932 in cosmic rays

Answer: B) 2012 at CERN's Large Hadron Collider

Explanation: ATLAS and CMS experiments. SLO P-11-F-18 · Knowledge

Discuss this question

218. Antihydrogen consists of:

  1. an antiproton and an electron
  2. two neutrons
  3. a proton and a positron
  4. an antiproton and a positron

Answer: D) an antiproton and a positron

Explanation: Made at CERN. SLO P-11-F-19 · Understanding

Discuss this question

219. Gamma emission changes the nucleon number by:

  1. 4
  2. zero
  3. 1
  4. −1

Answer: B) zero

Explanation: A gamma ray has no charge and no mass number. SLO P-11-F-07 · Knowledge

Discuss this question

220. The Higgs boson is sometimes called the 'God particle' in popular media because:

  1. it is very large
  2. of its central role in explaining mass
  3. it has infinite energy
  4. it has never been detected

Answer: B) of its central role in explaining mass

Explanation: Popular nickname. SLO P-11-F-18 · Knowledge

Discuss this question

221. The nucleon number of a nucleus is the number of:

  1. protons plus neutrons
  2. neutrons only
  3. electrons
  4. protons only

Answer: A) protons plus neutrons

Explanation: Mass number A. SLO P-11-F-07 · Knowledge

Discuss this question

222. The maximum kinetic energy of beta particles equals:

  1. zero
  2. the alpha energy
  3. the total energy released in the decay (minus negligible recoil)
  4. half the energy released

Answer: C) the total energy released in the decay (minus negligible recoil)

Explanation: When the neutrino gets almost nothing. SLO P-11-F-11 · Understanding

Discuss this question

223. A major difficulty with string theory is that:

  1. it has not yet been tested experimentally
  2. it ignores quantum mechanics
  3. it disagrees with all experiments
  4. it is very simple

Answer: A) it has not yet been tested experimentally

Explanation: Energies needed are enormous. SLO P-11-F-22 · Understanding

Discuss this question

224. Synchrotrons produce intense X-rays called:

  1. alpha rays
  2. synchrotron radiation
  3. gamma decay
  4. sound waves

Answer: B) synchrotron radiation

Explanation: Used in materials science and biology. SLO P-11-F-23 · Understanding

Discuss this question

225. In ^23592 U + ^10 n to ^14156 Ba + ^9236 Kr + x,^10 n, x is:

  1. 4
  2. 3
  3. 2
  4. 1

Answer: B) 3

Explanation: 236 = 141 + 92 + x ⇒ x = 3. SLO P-11-F-07 · Knowledge

Discuss this question

Previous Page 9 of 14 Next

Practise Nuclear and Particle Physics MCQs

More Physics chapters