13.

Nuclei
1 Mark Questions
1. Why is it found experimentally difficult to detect neutrinos in nuclear β-decay?
2. Define the activity of a given radioactive substance. Write its SI unit.
3. What is the relationship between the half-life and mean life of a radioactive nucleus?
4. How is the radius of a nucleus related to its mass number?
5. A nucleus undergoes β- decay. How does its (i) mass number and (ii) atomic number change?
6. A nucleus 92 U undergoes α-decay and transforms to thorium. What is (i) the mass number and
238

(ii) atomic number of the nucleus produced?

7. Two nuclei have mass numbers in the ratio 1: 8. What is the ratio of their nuclear radii?
8. Two nuclei have mass numbers in the ratio 8:125. What is the ratio of their nuclear radii?
9. Two nuclei have mass numbers in the ratio 27: 125. What is the ratio of their nuclear radii?
10. Two nuclei have mass numbers in the ratio 1: 2. What is the ratio of their nuclear densities?
2
11. Calculate the energy in fusion reaction 21H+ 21H 3
2 He+n, where BE of 1 H = 2.23 MeV and of
3
2 He = 7.73 MeV.
12. A nucleus with mass number A = 240 and BE/A = 7.6 MeV breaks into two fragments each of A =
120 with BE/A = 8.5 MeV. Calculate the released energy.
13. Draw a graph showing the variation of potential energy between a pair of nucleons as a function
of their separation. Indicate the function in which the nuclear force is (i) attractive, (ii) repulsive.
14. Write any two characteristic properties of nuclear force.
15. When four hydrogen nuclei combine to form a helium nucleus estimate the amount of energy in
MeV released in this process of fusion (Neglect the masses of electrons and neutrons)
Given: (i) Mass of 1H =1.007825 u
1

(ii) Mass of helium nucleus = 4.002603 u, 1 u = 931 MeV/c2

16. A heavy nucleus X of mass number 240 and binding energy per nucleon 7.6 MeV is splitted into
two fragments Y and Z of mass numbers 110 and 130. The binding energy of nucleons in Y and Z is
8.5 MeV per nucleon. Calculate the energy released per fission in MeV.
17. If both the numbers of protons and neutrons are conserved in a nuclear reaction like
12
6C + 6 C12 10 Ne
20
+ 2 He 4 .In what way, is the mass converted into the energy? Explain.
18. Draw a plot of the binding energy per nucleon as a function of mass number for a large number of
nuclei 20 < A < 240. How do you explain the constancy of binding energy per nucleon in the range of
30 < A <170 using the property that nuclear force is short-ranged?
19.(i) The mass of a nucleus in its ground state is always less than the total mass of its constituents
neutrons and protons. Explain. (ii) Plot a graph showing the variation of potential energy of a pair of
nucleons as a function of their separation.
2 Mark Questions
1.Complete the following nuclear reactions.
(i) 105 B + 01 n 4 94 2
2 He +......... (ii) 42 Mo + 1 H
95
43Te +.........
2.In both β and β+-decay process, the mass number of nucleus remains the same, whereas the atomic
-

number Z increases by one in β-- decay and decrease by one in β+-decay. Explain giving reasons.
3.Derive the expression for the law of radioactive decay of a given sample having initially N0
decaying to the number N present at any subsequent time t. Plot a graph showing the variation of the
number of nuclei versus the time lapsed. Mark a point on the plot in terms of T1/2 value the number
present N = N0 / 16.
4. In a given sample, two radio isotopes A and B are initially present in the ratio of 1: 4. The half-lives
of A and B are 100 yr and 50 yr, respectively. Find the time after which the amounts of A and B
become equal.
5. How the size of a nucleus is 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.
6. A radioactive nucleus A undergoes a series of decays according to the following scheme,
A A1 A2 A3 A 4 .The mass number and atomic number of A4 are 172 and 69,
respectively. What are these numbers for A?
3 Mark Questions
1. (i) A radioactive nucleus A undergoes a series of decays as give A A1 A2 A3 A4 .
The mass number and atomic number of A2 are 176 and 71, respectively. Determine the mass and
atomic numbers of A4 and A?
(ii) Write the basic nuclear processes underlying β+ and β- decays.
2.(i) Write the basic nuclear process involved in the emission of β+ in a symbolic form by a radioactive
nucleus.
12 20
(ii) In the reactions given below: (a) 11
6C
z
yB + x + ν (b) 12
6C 6C + aC + bc He . Find the values
of x, y and z and a, b and c.
3. (i) Deduce the expression, N =N0e-λt for the law of radioactive decay.
22
(ii) Write symbolically the process expressing the β+-decay of 11 Na . Also, write the basic nuclear
process underlying this decay.
22
(iii) Is the nucleus formed in the decay of the nucleus 11 Na is isotope or isobar?

4.(i)Complete the following nuclear reactions: (a) 208

84 Po
204
(b) 32
82 Pb +......... 15 P
32
16 S +.........
(ii) Write the basic process involved in nuclei responsible for (a) β- decay and (b) β+ decay.
(iii) Why is it found experimentally difficult to detect neutrinos?
5. (i) Define the term activity of a sample of radioactive nucleus. Write its SI unit.
(ii) The half-life of 92 U undergoing α-decay is 4 5 x 109 yr. Determine the activity of 10g sample of
238

238
92 U . Given that 1g of 92 U contains 25.3 x 10 atoms.
238 20

6.(i) Define the terms (a)half-life (b)average life. Find out the relationship with the decay constant (λ).
(ii) A radioactive nucleus has a decay constant λ =0.3465 (day)-1. How long would it take the nucleus
of decay to 75% of its initial amount?
7. (i) Define the terms (a) half-life (T1/2) and (b) average life (τ). Find out their relationship with the
decay constant (λ).
(ii) A radioactive nucleus has a decay constant λ= 0.3465 (day)-1. How long would it take the nucleus
to decay to 75% of its initial amount?
8.(i) The number of nuclei of a given radioactive sample at time t = 0 and t =T are N0 and N0/n,
respectively. Obtain an expression for the half-life (T1/2) of the nucleus in terms of n and T.
(ii) Write the basic nuclear process underlying β - decay of a given radioactive nucleus.
9.(i) Define the term ‘activity’ of a given sample of radionuclide. Write the expression for the law of
radioactive decay in terms of the activity of a given sample.
(ii) A radioactive isotope has a half-life of T years. How long will it take the activity to reduce to
3.125% of its original value?
(iii) When a nucleus (X) undergoes β-decay, the transforms to the nucleus (Y), does the pair (X,Y)
form isotopes, isobars or isotones? Justify your answer.
10. State the law of radioactive decay. Plot a graph showing the number N of undecayed nuclei as a
function of time t for a given radioactive sample having half-life T1/2. Depict in the plot, the number
of undecayed nuclei at (i) t = 3 T1/2 (ii) t = 5 T1/2.
11.(i) Define activity of a radioactive material and write its SI unit.
(ii) Plot a graph showing variation of activity of a given radioactive sample with time.
β-particle α-particle
(iii) The sequence of stepwise decay of a radioactive nucleus is D D1 D2 .
If the atomic number and mass number of D2 are 71 and 176 respectively, what are their
corresponding values for D?
12.(i) Write symbolically the β- decay process of 32 15 P ?
(ii) Derive an expression for the average life of a radionuclide. Give its relationship with the half-life.
13.What is the basic mechanism for the emission of β- and β+ particles in a nuclei? Give an example
by writing explicitly a decay process for β- emission. Is
(i) the energy of the emitted β-particles continuous or discrete?
(ii) the daughter nucleus obtained through β-decay, an isotope or an isobar of the parent nucleus?
14. An observer in a laboratory starts with N0 nuclei of a radioactive sample and keep on observing
the number (N) of left over nuclei at regular intervals of 10 min each. She prepares the following table
on the basis of her observation.

Time t (in min) No

log e
N
0 0
10 3.465
20 6.930
30 10.395
40 13.860

No
Use this data to plot a graph of log e versus time (t) and calculate the (i) decay constant and (ii)
N
half-life of the given sample.
15.(i) What is meant by half-life of a radioactive element?
(ii) The half-life of a radioactive substance is 30s. Calculate (a) the decay constant and (b) time taken
for the sample to decay by 3/4th of the initial value.
16. (i) Write three characteristic properties of nuclear force. (ii) Draw a plot of potential energy of a
pair of nucleons as a function of their separation. Write two important conclusions that can be drawn
from the graph.
17. Distinguish between nuclear fission and fusion. Show how in both these processes energy is
released. Calculate the energy release in MeV in the deuterium-tritium fusion reaction.
2
1H + 31H 4
2 He + n . Using the data,
m( 21 H) = 2.014102 u, m( 13 H) = 3.016049 u
m( 42 He) = 4.002603 u , m n = 1.008665 u
MeV
1 u = 931.5
c2
18.(i) Write the relation for Binding Energy (BE) (in MeV) of a nucleus of mass Az M , atomic number
(Z) and mass number (A) in terms of the masses o fits constituents namely neutrons and protons.
(ii)Draw a plot of BE/A versus mass number A for 2 A 170 . Use this graph to explain the release
of energy in the process of nuclear fusion of two light nuclei.
19.In a typical nuclear reaction e.g., 21H + 21H 3 1
2 He + 0 n + 3.27 MeV , although number of nucleons
is conserved, yet energy is released. How? Explain.
20. Draw a plot of potential energy between a pair of nucleons as a function of their separation. Mark
the regions where potential energy is (i) positive and (ii) negative.
21.Answer the following. (i) Why is the binding energy per nucleon found to be constant for
nuclei in the range of mass number (A) lying between 30 and 170? (ii) When a heavy nucleus with
mass number A = 240 breaks into two nuclei, A = 120, energy is released in the process.
22. (i) In a typical nuclear reaction, e.g. 21H + 21H 3
2 He + n + 3.27 although number of nucleons is
conserved yet energy is released. How? Explain. (ii) Show that nuclear density in a given nucleus is
independent of mass number A.
23. (i) What characteristic property of nuclear force explains the constancy of binding energy per
nucleon (BE/A) in the range of mass number A lying 30< A<170? (ii) Show that the density of nucleus
over a wide range of nuclei is constant and independent of mass number A.
24. Draw a plot of potential energy of a pair of nucleons as a function of their separations. Mark the
regions where the nuclear force is (i) attractive and (ii) repulsive. Write any two characteristic features
of nuclear forces.
25. Using the curve for the binding energy per nucleon as a function of mass number A, state clearly
how the release in energy in the processes of nuclear fission and nuclear fusion can be explained.
26. Explain giving necessary reactions, how energy is released during (i) fission? (ii) fusion?
5 Mark Questions
27.(i) Draw the plot of binding energy per nucleon (BE/A) as a function of mass number A. Write two
important conclusions that can be drawn regarding the nature of nuclear force. (ii) Use this graph to
explain the release of energy in both the processes of nuclear fusion and fission. (iii) Write the basic
nuclear process of neutron undergoing β-decay. Why is the detection of neutrinos found very
difficult?
28. Define the Q-value of a nuclear process. When can a nuclear process not proceed spontaneously?
If both the number of protons and the number of neutrons are conserved in a nuclear reaction in what
way is mass converted into energy (or vice-versa) in the nuclear reaction?
29. Draw a plot of binding energy per nucleon (BE/A) versus mass number (A) for a large number of
nuclei lying between 2 < A < 240. Using this graph, explain clearly how the energy is released in both
the process of nuclear fission and fusion?