Accelerators and Detectors

1. Which of the following is not a type of radiation detectors?

a) Geiger Muller counter
b) Proportional counter
c) Semiconductor detector
d) Flame emission detector
2. ‘When nuclear radiations pass through, gas ionization is produced.’ This is the
principle of which of the following detectors?
a) Proportional counter
b) Flow counter
c) Geiger Muller counter
d) Scintillation counter
3. Which of the following acts as quenching gas in Geiger Muller counter?
a) Alcohol
b) Argon gas
c) Krypton
d) Hydrogen
4. Which of the following acts as ionising gas in Geiger Muller counter?
a) Alcohol
b) Argon gas
c) Krypton
d) Hydrogen
5. Which of the detectors is similar to Geiger Muller counter in construction but
is filled with heavier gas?
a) Proportional counter
b) Flow counter
c) Semiconductor detector
d) Scintillation counter
6. Which of the following gases are used in the proportional counter as the
ionising gas?
a) Alcohol
b) Argon gas
c) Krypton
d) Hydrogen
7. Which of the following is the main disadvantage of solid state semiconductor
detector?
a) Low accuracy
b) Low sensitivity
c) It should be maintained at low temperature
d) High pressure has to be produced
8. Scintillation detector is a large flat crystal of which of the following materials?
a) Sodium chloride
b) Sodium iodide
c) Sodium sulphate
d) Sodium carbonate
9. Liquid Scintillators are used for which of the following materials?
a) Low energy beta materials
b) High energy beta materials
c) Low energy gamma materials
d) High energy gamma materials
10. Packing fraction is ………..
a) always positive
b) always negative
c) zero
d) may be zero or have positive or negative value

1. Cyclotron is an accelerator working on the principle of ………

a) fixed frequency magnetic resonance
b) variable frequency magnetic resonance
c) fixed frequency electric resonance
d) variable frequency electric resonance
2. Cyclotron mainly accelerates ………
a) positive ion
b) negative ion
c) both positive and negative ion
d) neutron
3. The principal of phase stability is incorporated in ………..
a) cyclotron
b) betatron
c) synchrocyclotron
d) all of the above
4. Betatron accelerates …………
a) only electron
b) only protons
c) a particles
d) neutrons
5. Betatron works on the principle of …………
a) transformer
b) induction coil
c) phase stability
d) magnetic resonance
6. In synchrotron resonance condition is maintained by changing ………..
a) frequency of electric field
b) strength of magnetic field
c) both frequency and magnetic induction
d) magnetic dipole moment
7. In betatron electron is accelerated only for the ………..
a) first increasing magnetic induction quarter of the cycle.
b) first decreasing magnetic induction quarter of the cycle.
c) first half of the negative half of the cycle of magnetic induction.
d) second half of the negative half of the cycle of magnetic induction.
8. GM Counter in the GM plateau region is sensitive to particles which are
………..
a) positively charged
b) negatively charged
c) neutral
d) positively charged or negatively charged
9. In GM Counter the central electrode wire is kept at the potential which is
……..
a) positive
b) negative
c) zero
d) of any kind and value
10. GM Counter works on the principle of ………….
a) ion chamber
b) nuclear emulsion formation
c) light sensing
d) photoelectric method
11. In scintillation counter the phosphor converts energy of the incoming
particle into........
a) light
b) photo electric current
c) magnetic field
d) heat
12. If the pressure on a liquid is increased its boiling point …………
a) rises
b) lowers
c) remains unaffected
d) first rises and then lowers
13. 1 a. m. u. is ……….
a) 1.66 x 10-27 kg
b) 2 x 10-20 kg
c) 1.66 x 1027 kg
d) 1 x 10-8kg
15. Energy equivalent to 1 a. m. u. is …………
a) 931 MeV
b) 931 BeV
c) 931 KeV
d) 931 eV
31. Nuclear....... can be explained with the help of semi-empirical mass formula.
a) fission
b) fusion
c) both fission and fusion
d) formation
32. The most stable nucleus is …..
a) 8O18
b) 8O17
c) 8O16
d) 8O10
33. Nucleons are …..
a) bosons
b) fermions
c) both bosons and fermions
d) neither bosons nor fermions
34. Cyclotron is suitable to accelerate …
a) protons
b) deuterons
c) α particles
d) all of the above
35. Scintillation counter detects …..
a) α particles only
b) β particles only
c) α and β particles only
d) α, β and γ particles
36. The maximum energy particles are provided by ….. Accelerator.
a) synchrocyclotron
b) proton synchrotron
c) betatron
d) cyclotron
37. As per betatron condition, the flux density at the centre should be …..
a) maximum
b) minimum
c) zero
d) only one
38. In cyclotron, time required by particle to complete one revolution depends
on
a) applied magnetic field
b) mass of particle
c) charge on article
d) all of these
39. In cyclotron, the energy of the particles accelerated is ….. Path difference
between the
Dees.
a) directly proportional
b) inversely proportional
c) independent
d) zero
40. In synchrocyclotron, the angular velocity of particle in constant magnetic
field… .... with
the increase in the kinetic energy.
a) increases
b) decreases
c) remains constant
d) none of these
41. The principle of gas ionization is not used in........detector.
a) ionization chamber
b) GM counter
c) cloud chamber
d) semiconductor detector
42. In ionization chamber, the gas amplification is …..
a) ~ 108
b) ~ 103
c) equal to unity
d) less than unity
43. In GM-tube, bromine is used as..... gas.
a) working
b) quenching
c) both working and quenching
d) cleaning
44. The dead time in case of GM-counter is about …..
a) 200 μs
b) 300 μs
c) 400 μs
d) 200 s
45. The counting speed of semiconductor detector is …..
a) negligible
b) low
c) high
d) very high
46. The working principle of cloud chamber states that the super saturated
vapours remains
….. against the formation of droplets.
a) stable
b) unstable
c) first stable and then unstable
d) sometime stable and sometime unstable
47. Cerenkov radiations are produced only if the particle velocity is ….. than the
phase
velocity of light in the same medium.
a) greater
b) lower
c) same
d) negligible
48. In case of ….. the particle track is made visible and can be photographed.
a) Scintillation detector
b) Cerenkov detector
c) Wilson cloud chamber
d) Semiconductor detector
49. The total magnification produced by photo multiplier tube is of the order of
…..
a) 103
b) 106
c) 109
d) 1012

1. **What is the principle behind the operation of a Van de Graaff

accelerator?**
a) Electromagnetic induction
b) Electrostatic induction
 c) Nuclear fusion
d) Chemical reaction

**Answer: b) Electrostatic induction**

2. **Which of the following is a key component of a Van de Graaff

accelerator?**
a) Superconducting magnet
b) Cyclotron
c) Linear accelerator
d) High-voltage terminal

**Answer: d) High-voltage terminal**

3. **In a Van de Graaff accelerator, how is the high voltage generated?**

a) Through electromagnetic induction
b) Through frictional charging
c) Through nuclear fission
d) Through chemical reactions

**Answer: b) Through frictional charging**

4. **What is the purpose of the Van de Graaff accelerator's terminal?**

a) To accelerate particles
b) To detect particles
c) To focus particles
d) To cool particles
 **Answer: a) To accelerate particles**

5. **Which of the following particles can be accelerated using a Van de Graaff

accelerator?**
a) Protons
b) Electrons
c) Neutrons
d) All of the above

**Answer: d) All of the above**

6. **What is the maximum energy typically achieved by a Van de Graaff

accelerator?**
a) A few MeV (Million electron volts)
b) Several GeV (Billion electron volts)
c) Tens of TeV (Trillion electron volts)
d) Hundreds of PeV (Quadrillion electron volts)

**Answer: a) A few MeV (Million electron volts)**

7. **Which of the following is an application of Van de Graaff accelerators?**

a) Medical imaging
b) Particle therapy
c) Materials science
d) All of the above
 **Answer: d) All of the above**

8. **What is the basic principle behind the acceleration of particles in a Van de

Graaff accelerator?**
a) Lorentz force
b) Centrifugal force
c) Coulomb's law
d) Newton's third law

**Answer: c) Coulomb's law**

9. **What type of particle confinement system is typically used in Van de Graaff

accelerators?**
a) Magnetic confinement
b) Electrostatic confinement
c) Gravitational confinement
d) None, particles are not confined

**Answer: b) Electrostatic confinement**

10. **Which of the following statements is true about the Van de Graaff
accelerator?**
a) It operates at low voltages
b) It relies on nuclear reactions for acceleration
c) It can accelerate particles continuously
d) It is limited to accelerating electrons only
 **Answer: c) It can accelerate particles continuously**

11. **What material is often used for the belt in a Van de Graaff accelerator?**
a) Rubber
b) Copper
c) Teflon
d) Aluminum

**Answer: c) Teflon**

12. **What is the significance of the vacuum chamber in a Van de Graaff

accelerator?**
a) To prevent electrical discharge
b) To cool down the system
c) To reduce air resistance
d) To contain radioactive materials

**Answer: c) To reduce air resistance**

13. **Which principle describes the repulsion between like charges in a Van de
Graaff accelerator?**
a) Coulomb's law
b) Newton's second law
c) Faraday's law
d) Ohm's law

**Answer: a) Coulomb's law**

14. **What is the purpose of the ion source in a Van de Graaff accelerator?**
a) To produce neutral particles
b) To create a beam of charged particles
c) To generate X-rays
d) To measure the energy of particles

**Answer: b) To create a beam of charged particles**

15. **What are the main advantages of Van de Graaff accelerators compared to
other types of accelerators?**
a) High energy and compact size
b) Low cost and easy maintenance
c) High efficiency and low radiation
d) High precision and fast acceleration

**Answer: a) High energy and compact size**

16. **Which scientist invented the Van de Graaff accelerator?**

a) Robert Van de Graaff
b) Ernest Lawrence
c) Enrico Fermi
d) James Chadwick

**Answer: a) Robert Van de Graaff**

17. **What is the typical diameter of the metal sphere in a Van de Graaff
accelerator?**
a) Several meters
b) Several centimeters
c) Several millimeters
d) Several micrometers

**Answer: b) Several centimeters**

18. **What is the primary method of particle acceleration in a Van de Graaff

accelerator?**
a) Electric field
b) Magnetic field
c) Gravitational field
d) Radiation field

**Answer: a) Electric field**

19. **In a Van de Graaff accelerator, what is the purpose of the terminal
target?**
a) To deflect particles
b) To generate X-rays
c) To measure the energy of particles
d) To produce secondary particles

**Answer: d) To produce secondary particles**

20. **Which of the following is a limitation of Van de Graaff accelerators?**
a) Limited maximum energy
b) Limited number of applications
c) Limited lifetime of components
d) Limited availability of materials

**Answer: a) Limited maximum energy**

1. **What is the principle behind the operation of a cyclotron?**

a) Electrostatic induction
b) Electromagnetic induction
c) Magnetic resonance
d) Gravitational force

**Answer: b) Electromagnetic induction**

2. **Which of the following particles are typically accelerated in a cyclotron?**

a) Electrons
b) Protons
c) Neutrons
d) All of the above

**Answer: b) Protons**

3. **What is the function of the Dees in a cyclotron?**

a) To generate a magnetic field
 b) To accelerate particles
c) To focus the particle beam
d) To measure the energy of particles

**Answer: b) To accelerate particles**

4. **In a cyclotron, what keeps the particles moving in a circular path?**

a) Magnetic field
b) Electric field
c) Gravitational force
d) Nuclear force

**Answer: a) Magnetic field**

5. **Which force causes the particles to gain energy as they move through the
cyclotron's Dees?**
a) Magnetic force
b) Electric force
c) Centrifugal force
d) Nuclear force

**Answer: b) Electric force**

6. **What is the main advantage of a synchrotron compared to a cyclotron?**

a) Higher energy particles
b) Smaller size
c) Lower cost
 d) Simpler design

**Answer: a) Higher energy particles**

7. **What is the principle behind the acceleration of particles in a

synchrotron?**
a) Magnetic resonance
b) Electrostatic induction
c) Synchrotron radiation
d) Particle resonance

**Answer: c) Synchrotron radiation**

8. **What is the purpose of the radiofrequency cavities in a synchrotron?**

a) To generate a magnetic field
b) To accelerate particles
c) To focus the particle beam
d) To measure the energy of particles

**Answer: b) To accelerate particles**

9. **Which of the following is a key component of a synchrotron?**

a) Dees
b) Magnets
c) Cathode
d) Anode
 **Answer: b) Magnets**

10. **What is the maximum energy typically achieved by a synchrotron?**

a) Several MeV
b) Several GeV
c) Several TeV
d) Several PeV

**Answer: b) Several GeV**

11. **Which of the following properties does a cyclotron share with a

synchrotron?**
a) Continuous acceleration of particles
b) Operation at low energies
c) Utilization of static magnetic fields
d) Generation of X-rays

**Answer: a) Continuous acceleration of particles**

12. **What is the primary method of particle acceleration in a synchrotron?**

a) Electric field
b) Magnetic field
c) Gravitational field
d) Radiation field

**Answer: b) Magnetic field**

13. **What phenomenon limits the maximum energy achievable in a
cyclotron?**
a) Synchrotron radiation
b) Magnetic saturation
c) Particle scattering
d) Electrostatic breakdown

**Answer: a) Synchrotron radiation**

14. **In a synchrotron, what is the role of the bending magnets?**

a) To generate a magnetic field
b) To accelerate particles
c) To focus the particle beam
d) To bend the particle trajectory

**Answer: d) To bend the particle trajectory**

15. **What is the primary advantage of synchrotron radiation for scientific

research?**
a) Its high intensity and tunability
b) Its low cost and accessibility
c) Its simplicity and ease of use
d) Its compatibility with biological samples

**Answer: a) Its high intensity and tunability**

8. **What is the main advantage of scintillation counters over gas-filled
detectors?**
a) Higher efficiency
b) Lower cost
c) Simpler construction
d) Greater portability

**Answer: a) Higher efficiency**

9. **What is the primary application of scintillation counters in medical

imaging?**
a) X-ray imaging
b) MRI scanning
c) Ultrasound imaging
d) PET scanning

**Answer: d) PET scanning**

10. **How are signals from scintillation counters typically processed?**

a) Digitally
b) Analogically
c) Chemically
d) Mechanically

**Answer: a) Digitally**

Wilson Cloud Chamber:

1. **What is the principle of operation of a Wilson cloud chamber?**
a) Conversion of incident radiation into light
b) Conversion of incident radiation into sound
c) Supersaturation of vapor to detect ionizing radiation
d) Generation of electron-hole pairs

**Answer: c) Supersaturation of vapor to detect ionizing radiation**

2. **What is the typical working fluid used in a Wilson cloud chamber?**

a) Water
b) Ethanol
c) Alcohol
d) Supersaturated vapor

**Answer: d) Supersaturated vapor**

3. **How does a particle's trajectory appear in a Wilson cloud chamber?**

a) Straight line
b) Spiral
c) Zigzag
d) Random

**Answer: b) Spiral**

4. **What is the role of the piston in a Wilson cloud chamber?**

 a) To create a vacuum
b) To compress the vapor
c) To cool down the detector
d) To apply a magnetic field

**Answer: b) To compress the vapor**

5. **What is the purpose of applying a magnetic field in a Wilson cloud

chamber?**
a) To accelerate particles
b) To bend the trajectories of charged particles
c) To generate X-rays
d) To increase the sensitivity of the detector

**Answer: b) To bend the trajectories of charged particles**

6. **What type of particles can be detected using a Wilson cloud chamber?**

a) Only charged particles
b) Only neutral particles
c) Both charged and neutral particles
d) Only photons

**Answer: c) Both charged and neutral particles**

7. **What is the primary limitation of Wilson cloud chambers?**

a) Low sensitivity
b) Limited resolution
 c) Short lifespan of working fluid
d) Susceptibility to electrical interference

**Answer: c) Short lifespan of working fluid**

8. **What is the main advantage of Wilson cloud chambers for educational

purposes?**
a) High sensitivity
b) Real-time visualization of particle tracks
c) Low cost
d) Portability

**Answer: b) Real-time visualization of particle tracks**

9. **How are particle tracks recorded in a Wilson cloud chamber?**

a) Photographs
b) Video recordings
c) Electronically
d) Magnetically

**Answer: a) Photographs**

10. **What is the typical size of a Wilson cloud chamber?**

a) Several meters
b) Several centimeters
c) Several millimeters
d) Several micrometers
 **Answer: b) Several centimeters**

Sure, here are the top 10 MCQs on each topic along with their answers:

GM Counter:

1. **What is the principle of operation of a Geiger-Müller (GM) counter?**

a) Ionization of gas by incident radiation
b) Photoelectric effect
c) Compton scattering
d) Nuclear fusion

**Answer: a) Ionization of gas by incident radiation**

2. **What gas is commonly used in a GM counter?**

a) Neon
b) Argon
c) Helium
d) Halogen

**Answer: b) Argon**

3. **What is the function of the quenching gas in a GM counter?**

a) To amplify the signal
b) To prevent electrical breakdown
 c) To cool down the detector
d) To accelerate electrons

**Answer: b) To prevent electrical breakdown**

4. **What type of radiation is typically detected by a GM counter?**

a) Alpha particles
b) Beta particles
c) Gamma rays
d) Neutrons

**Answer: d) Neutrons**

5. **What is the typical dead time of a GM counter?**

a) Microseconds
b) Milliseconds
c) Seconds
d) Minutes

**Answer: a) Microseconds**

6. **How does a GM counter respond to high radiation levels?**

a) The counting rate decreases
b) The detector becomes saturated
c) The sensitivity increases
d) The dead time decreases
 **Answer: b) The detector becomes saturated**

7. **What is the approximate amplification factor of a GM counter?**

a) 10^3
b) 10^6
c) 10^9
d) 10^12

**Answer: b) 10^6**

8. **What is the primary application of a GM counter?**

a) Medical imaging
b) Particle physics research
c) Radiation detection and measurement
d) Materials analysis

**Answer: c) Radiation detection and measurement**

9. **What is the mode of operation of a GM counter?**

a) Pulse mode
b) Continuous mode
c) Scanning mode
d) Burst mode

**Answer: a) Pulse mode**

10. **What is the typical voltage applied across the electrodes of a GM
counter?**
a) Several volts
b) Several hundred volts
c) Several kilovolts
d) Several megavolts

**Answer: c) Several kilovolts**

1. **What is the basic principle of operation of a semiconductor detector?**

a) Ionization of gas by incident radiation
b) Photoelectric effect
c) Generation of electron-hole pairs
d) Electromagnetic induction

**Answer: c) Generation of electron-hole pairs

Semiconductor Detector:

1. **What is the principle of operation of a semiconductor detector?**

a) Ionization of gas by incident radiation
b) Photoelectric effect
c) Generation of electron-hole pairs
d) Electromagnetic induction

**Answer: c) Generation of electron-hole pairs**

2. **Which semiconductor material is commonly used in radiation detectors?**
a) Silicon
b) Copper
c) Aluminum
d) Zinc

**Answer: a) Silicon**

3. **What is the primary advantage of semiconductor detectors over gas-filled

detectors?**
a) Higher efficiency
b) Lower cost
c) Simpler construction
d) Greater portability

**Answer: a) Higher efficiency**

4. **What type of radiation can semiconductor detectors detect?**

a) Alpha particles
b) Beta particles
c) Gamma rays
d) All of the above

**Answer: d) All of the above**

5. **What is the typical energy resolution of a semiconductor detector?**

 a) 10%
b) 1%
c) 0.1%
d) 0.01%

**Answer: c) 0.1%**

6. **What is the main limitation of semiconductor detectors?**

a) Low sensitivity
b) Limited temperature range
c) Susceptibility to damage from radiation
d) High cost

**Answer: c) Susceptibility to damage from radiation**

7. **What type of signal does a semiconductor detector produce?**

a) Current
b) Voltage
c) Light
d) Sound

**Answer: a) Current**

8. **What is the depletion region in a semiconductor detector?**

a) The region with excess charge carriers
b) The region without charge carriers
 c) The region with the highest electric field
d) The region with the lowest electric field

**Answer: b) The region without charge carriers**

9. **What is the main application of semiconductor detectors in medical

imaging?**
a) X-ray imaging
b) MRI scanning
c) Ultrasound imaging
d) PET scanning

**Answer: a) X-ray imaging**

10. **How are signals from semiconductor detectors typically processed?**

a) Digitally
b) Analogically
c) Chemically
d) Mechanically

**Answer: a) Digitally**

Scintillation Counter:

1. **What is the principle of operation of a scintillation counter?**

a) Ionization of gas by incident radiation
b) Generation of electron-hole pairs
 c) Conversion of incident radiation into light
d) Photoelectric effect

**Answer: c) Conversion of incident radiation into light**

2. **What is the scintillator material typically used in scintillation counters?**

a) Silicon
b) Copper
c) Sodium iodide (NaI)
d) Zinc

**Answer: c) Sodium iodide (NaI)**

3. **What is the function of the photomultiplier tube (PMT) in a scintillation

counter?**
a) To amplify the electrical signal
b) To convert light into electrical signals
c) To generate X-rays
d) To cool down the detector

**Answer: b) To convert light into electrical signals**

4. **What type of radiation can scintillation counters detect?**

a) Alpha particles
b) Beta particles
c) Gamma rays
d) All of the above
 **Answer: d) All of the above**

5. **What is the time resolution of a typical scintillation counter?**

a) Nanoseconds
b) Microseconds
c) Milliseconds
d) Seconds

**Answer: a) Nanoseconds**

6. **What is the decay time of scintillator materials?**

a) The time it takes for the material to emit light
b) The time it takes for the material to decay radioactively
c) The time it takes for the material to lose its effectiveness
d) The time it takes for the material to cool down

**Answer: a) The time it takes for the material to emit light**

7. **What is the typical efficiency of scintillation counters?**

a) 10%
b) 50%
c) 90%
d) 100%

**Answer: c) 90%**
8. **What is the main advantage of scintillation counters over gas-filled
detectors?**
a) Higher efficiency
b) Lower cost
c) Simpler construction
d) Greater portability

**Answer: a) Higher efficiency**

9. **What is the primary application of scintillation counters in medical

imaging?**
a) X-ray imaging
b) MRI scanning
c) Ultrasound imaging
d) PET scanning

**Answer: d) PET scanning**

10. **How are signals from scintillation counters typically processed?**

a) Digitally
b) Analogically
c) Chemically
d) Mechanically

**Answer: a) Digitally**