XII Physics Chapter 13 Nuclei QBank

VSA (1mark):
1. A nucleus undergoes β decay. How does its mass number and atomic number change?
2. A nucleus 92U238 undergoes alpha decay and transforms to thorium. What is the mass
number and atomic number of the nucleus produced?
3. Write any two properties of nuclear force.
4. How is the radius of the nucleus related to the mass number?
5. Give the relation between mean life and half life of radioactive element.
6. Two nuclei have mass numbers in the ratio 27:125. What is the ratio of their nuclear
radii?
7. State the reason why heavy water is used as a moderator in a nuclear reactor?
8. Name the absorbing material used to control the reaction rate of neutrons in a nuclear
reactor.
9. Define the ‘activity’ of radionuclide. Write its SI unit.
10. Draw the graph showing the distribution of kinetic energy of electrons emitted during
beta decay.
11. The 2He3 and 1He3 nuclei have same mass number. Do they have same binding energy?
12. Draw a graph showing variation of decay rate with number of active nuclei.
13. Which one of the following cannot emit radiation and why? Excited nucleus, excited
electron.
14. Write the nuclear equations for:
a. Alpha decay of 88Ra226
b. Beta minus decay of 15P32 (Here A is unchanged and Z is increased by 1)
c. Beta plus decay of 6C11 (Here A is unchanged and Z is decreased by 1)
d. Electron capture of 54Xe120
Note: In electron capture there is increase in neutron by 1 and decrease in proton by
1, so mass number A is unchanged and atomic number Z decreases by 1.

SA-
SA-I (2marks):
15. In a given sample, two radioisotopes A and B initially are present in the ratio of 1:4. The
half lives of A and B are 100 years and 50 years respectively. Find the time after which
the amounts of A and B become equal.
16. Using the curve of binding energy per nucleon, state how the release in energy in the
processes of nuclear fission and fusion can be explained.
17. A heavy nucleus X of mass number 240 and binding energy per nucleon 7.6 MeV is split
into two fragments Y and Z of mass numbers 110 and 130. The binding energy per
nucleon of each Y and Z is 8.5 MeV. Calculate the energy Q released per fission in MeV.

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 XII Physics Chapter 13 Nuclei QBank

18. Draw a plot of potential energy as a function of separation between the nucleons. Write
two conclusions from the graph.
19. Draw a plot of binding energy per nucleon as a function of mass number for 2<A<240.
How do you explain the constancy of binding energy per nucleon in the range
30<A<170?
20. A radioactive nucleus A undergoes a series of decays of aplha, beta, alpha and gamma:
A A1 A2 A3 A4
The mass number and atomic number of A are 180 and 72 respectively. What are these
numbers for A4.
21. The half life of 92U238 against alpha decay is 4.5 x 109 years. What is the activity of 1g
sample of it?
22. A nucleus 10Ne23 undergoes beta decay and becomes 11Na23. Calculate the maximum
kinetic energy of electrons emitted assuming that the daughter nucleus and anti neutrino
carry negligible kinetic energy. (mass of Ne = 22.994466 u and Na = 22.989770 u, 1u =
931 MeV/c2)

SA-
SA-II (3marks):
23. How is the size of nucleus experimentally determined? Write the relation between the
radius and mass number of the nucleus. Show that the density of nucleus is independent
of its mass number.
24. Explain giving necessary reactions, how energy is released during fission and fusion.
25. Calculate the amount of energy released if U238 nucleus emits an alpha particle.
Given: Atomic mass of U238 = 238.0508 u, Th234 = 234.04363 u, alpha perticle = 4.00260
u and 1 u = 931 MeV/c2. Is this decay spontaneous? Give reason.

Extra Important Notes from the Chapter:

Variation of potential energy between a pair of nucleons as a

function of their separation:

Observation:

1. The potential energy is minimum at r0= 0.8 fm.

2. Nuclear force is attractive for distance greater than
r0.
3. Nuclear force is repulsive for distance less than r0.
4. Nuclear forces decreases very rapidly at
r0/equilibrium position.

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