Radioactivity Part 2 Quiz

Radioactivity Part 2 Quiz begins with a curious bit of trivia. In the 1950s, people could actually buy radioactive toys, including a kit called the Gilbert U-238 Atomic Energy Lab. It was meant to teach kids about nuclear science and came with real uranium ore samples. While unthinkable today, this was once seen as educational. With this nuclear radiation quiz, you get to explore how far our understanding of radioactivity has come. It also helps explain the differences in radiation types and how we detect them. Whether it’s alpha beta gamma quiz concepts or learning what is background radiation, this quiz covers the essentials with ease and a bit of nostalgia for science’s stranger chapters.

What is the time called that it takes for half of the radioactive atoms in a sample to decay?

Radioactive period

Decay constant

Half-life

Nuclear time

What happens to the atomic number of a nucleus when it undergoes alpha decay?

It decreases by 2

It remains the same

It increases by 1

It increases by 2

What happens to the mass number of a nucleus when it undergoes alpha decay?

It remains the same

It decreases by 1

It increases by 4

It decreases by 4

Which type of radiation is unaffected by electric or magnetic fields?

Beta (β)

Gamma (γ)

Proton

Alpha (α)

If an atom undergoes radioactive decay and emits an alpha particle, its nucleus becomes?

Heavier and more positive

Lighter and more positive

Heavier and less positive

Lighter and less positive

What is the term for a stable atom that is formed after a radioactive nucleus decays?

Daughter product

Byproduct

Fissile material

Parent isotope

If a radioactive substance has a half-life of 10 years, how much of it will remain after 20 years?

All of it

Half of it (50%)

A quarter of it (25%)

None of it

What is a common medical use of radioactive isotopes?

Medical imaging (tracers) and cancer therapy (radiotherapy)

Treating broken bones with casts

Heating hospital buildings

Sterilizing surgical instruments by boiling

Which natural source contributes significantly to background radiation, especially indoors?

Radio waves from cell phones

Water vapor

Sunlight

Radon gas

What is the main danger of ionizing radiation to living cells?

It makes cells grow larger and stronger

It damages DNA and other molecules

It turns healthy cells into inert substances

It causes cells to become colder

Your score is

The average score is 50%

Sample Questions from This Quiz

What is the time called that it takes for half of the radioactive atoms in a sample to decay?
What happens to the atomic number of a nucleus when it undergoes alpha decay?
What happens to the mass number of a nucleus when it undergoes alpha decay?
Which type of radiation is unaffected by electric or magnetic fields?
If an atom undergoes radioactive decay and emits an alpha particle, its nucleus becomes?

Try the full quiz and see how many of these you can answer!