1. Atomic Structure and Nuclear Decay Review Game
To complete this review game, you will need a calculator and a periodic table. A periodic table will be provided to you on the assessment.
Topics covered on this assessment:
Atomic Structure (drawing atoms, determining # of protons, neutrons, and electrons in atoms, ions, and isotopes)
Isotope Abundance Calculations
Nuclear Decay (alpha, beta, gamma)

2. List the following electromagnetic spectrum wave types in increasing order of energy:
Gamma rays
Infrared
Microwaves
Radiowaves
Ultraviolet
Visible light
X-rays

3. Radiowaves Microwaves Infrared Visible light Ultraviolet X-rays
List the following electromagnetic spectrum wave types in increasing order of energy (Increasing order of energy means LOWEST to HIGHEST):
Radiowaves
Microwaves
Infrared
Visible light
Ultraviolet
X-rays
Gamma rays

4. What is the relationship between wavelength and frequency in the electromagnetic spectrum?

5. What is the relationship between wavelength and frequency in the electromagnetic spectrum?
As wavelength decreases, frequency increases
(aka the shorter the wave is, the more often it will pass a given point)

6. Which of the wave types within the electromagnetic spectrum are potentially ionizing?

7. Which of the wave types within the electromagnetic spectrum are potentially ionizing?
Ultraviolet
X-rays
Gamma rays
Ionizing = ability to remove electrons… this is what causes instability and leads to adverse effects like cancer

8. Which of the statements below is an accurate description of what occurs during ionization of an atom?
a. An atom loses a proton and becomes a negatively charged ion.
b. An atom loses an electron and becomes a positively charged ion.
c. An atom loses an electron and becomes a negatively charged ion.
d. An atom gains a neutron and its atomic mass increases by 1.

9. Which of the statements below is an accurate description of what occurs during ionization of an atom?
a. An atom loses a proton and becomes a negatively charged ion.
b. An atom loses an electron and becomes a positively charged ion.
c. An atom loses an electron and becomes a negatively charged ion.
d. An atom gains a neutron and its atomic mass increases by 1.

10. How many protons, neutrons and electrons in an atom of Platinum (Pt)?

11. How many protons, neutrons and electrons in an atom of Platinum?
Referring to the Periodic Table, we can see that platinum, Pt, has an atomic number of 78. Therefore, Pt has 78 protons. All atoms on the periodic table are uncharged (neutral), so we know that the number of electrons is equal to the number of protons, and is therefore also 78. Referring to the Periodic Table, we can see that platinum has an average atomic mass of amu. Rounding to the nearest whole number gives 195 amu.
Amu = # protons + # neutrons
We can calculate # neutrons = amu - # protons
which is 195 – 78 = 117… Thus platinum has 117 neutrons.

12. SHOW YOUR WORK as you calculate the average atomic mass of magnesium using the following data: Isotope mass (u) relative abundance Mg Mg Mg

13. SHOW YOUR WORK as you calculate the average atomic mass of magnesium using the following data:
Isotope mass (u) relative abundance
Mg x = 18.88
Mg x = 2.533
Mg x =
ANSWER: amu

14. How many electrons are in the ion Mg+2?12 10 14 24 22 26

15. How many electrons are in the ion Mg+2?12 10 14 24 22 26

16. Element identity (what element it is) is determined by
its atomic number.
its mass number.
its neutron number.
All of these are correct.

17. Element identity (what element it is) is determined by…
its atomic number.
its mass number.
its neutron number.
All of these are correct.
Note: Element identity, meaning the element NAME, is determined solely be the number of protons, and hence solely by atomic number.

18. Isotopes of an element…
a. Are always radioactive
b. Differ in their number of protons
c. Differ in their number of neutrons
d. Differ in their number of electrons

19. Isotopes of an element…
a. Are always radioactive
b. Differ in their number of protons
c. Differ in their number of neutrons (and therefore also their atomic masses)
d. Differ in their number of electrons

20. Complete the following table:
Element
Atomic #
Atomic Mass
Protons
Neutrons
Electrons
Charge O
(oxygen) 16 33 36 15 18
Cu (copper) 64
Al-3 (aluminum) 13 -3
K+1 (potassium) +1

21. Complete the following table:

22. Element Q has three common isotopes. If the abundance of 44X is 0
Element Q has three common isotopes. If the abundance of 44X is 0.03, the abundance of 45X is %, and the abundance of 48X is 99.72%, what is the average atomic mass of element Q?
a b c d

23. Element Q has three common isotopes. If the abundance of 44X is 0
Element Q has three common isotopes. If the abundance of 44X is 0.03, the abundance of 45X is %, and the abundance of 48X is 99.72%, what is the average atomic mass of element Q?
a b c d
P.S. In this case you don’t even need a calculator to figure it out, since only one of the provided responses is within the atomic mass range of the three isotopes. Clearly the average can’t be LOWER or HIGHER than that range, and therefore responses a., b., and d. CANNOT be correct. Only c. fits within the range of atomic masses of the isotopes.

24. What atom is depicted in this figure?

25. What atom is depicted in this figure?
Argon: this atom has 18 protons, meaning an atomic number of Referring to the Periodic Table, we can see that the element with an atomic number of 18 is Argon.

26. Which one of the following is a correct representation of an alpha particle?
a. 42He
b. 0-1e
c. 10e
d. 00

27. Which one of the following is a correct representation of an alpha particle?
a. 42He
b. 0-1e
c. 10e
d. 00

28. Following α decay, the total number of protons has…
a. increased by 2 b. decreased by 4 c. decreased by 2 d. unchanged

29. Following α decay, the total number of protons has…
a. increased by 2 b. decreased by 4 c. decreased by 2 d. unchanged

30. Alpha decay produces a new atom whose __________ than those of the original atom.
a. atomic number is 2 less and atomic mass is 4 less
b. atomic number is 2 less and atomic mass is 2 less
c. atomic number is 2 more and atomic mass is 4 more
d. atomic number is 2 more and atomic mass is 2 less

31. Alpha decay produces a new atom whose __________ than those of the original atom.
a. atomic number is 2 less and atomic mass is 4 less
b. atomic number is 2 less and atomic mass is 2 less
c. atomic number is 2 more and atomic mass is 4 more
d. atomic number is 2 more and atomic mass is 2 less

32. Which one of the following is a correct representation of a beta particle?
a. 42He
b. 0-1e
c. 10e
d. 00

33. Which one of the following is a correct representation of a beta particle?
a. 42He
b. 0-1e
c. 10e
d. 00

34. Following beta decay, the total number of protons has…
not changed
decreased by 1
increased by 1
increased by 2

35. Following beta decay, the total number of protons has…
not changed
decreased by 1
increased by 1 (in beta decay, a neutron is converted to a proton)
increased by 2

36. By what process does uranium-238 decay to thorium-234?
a. alpha decay
b. beta decay
c. gamma ray emission
d. electron capture

37. By what process does uranium-238 decay to thorium-234?
a. alpha decay
b. beta decay
c. gamma ray emission
d. electron capture
Uranium 238 must have undergone alpha decay to produce thorium-234, since atomic mass has decreased by 4. Furthermore, according to the Periodic Table, uranium has an atomic number of 92, while thorium has an atomic number of 90. Therefore, atomic number has decreased by 2. The complete nuclear decay equation is:
23892U → 23490Th + 42He

38. What is the missing product from this nuclear decay reaction:
13755Cs → 13756Ba + ________
a. 42He
b. 0+1e
c. 0-1e
d. 00

39. What is the missing product from this nuclear decay reaction:
13755Cs → 13756Ba + ________
a. 42He
b. 0+1e
c. 0-1e
d. 00

40. Thorium undergoes alpha decay
Thorium undergoes alpha decay. The product of this reaction also undergoes alpha decay. What is the final product of this second decay reaction _______ ?

41. Thorium undergoes alpha decay
Thorium undergoes alpha decay. The product of this reaction also undergoes alpha decay. What is the final product of this second decay reaction _radon_ ?
The problem tells you that two alpha decay events occur. Since atomic number decreases by two for each alpha decay event, the total decrease in atomic number will be 4. The starting thorium atom has an atomic number of 90. Subtracting 4 gives a final atomic number of 86. Referring to the Periodic Table, we can see that the element radon has an atomic number of 86.

42. What type of radioactive decay does not change the atomic number or atomic mass of an element?
a. electron capture b. gamma ray emission c. alpha decay d. beta decay

43. What type of radioactive decay does not change the atomic number or atomic mass of an element?
a. electron capture b. gamma ray emission c. alpha decay d. beta decay

44. A 39Cl atom ejects a beta particle
A 39Cl atom ejects a beta particle. What is the product of this reaction?
a. 39Ar
b. 39Cl
c. 39S
d. 38Ar

45. A 39Cl atom ejects a beta particle
A 39Cl atom ejects a beta particle. What is the product of this reaction?
a. 39Ar
b. 39Cl
c. 39S
d. 38Ar

46. For each question below, there are two statements
For each question below, there are two statements. Decide whether each statement is true or false. Then decide whether statement II is a correct explanation for statement I.

47. For each question below, there are two statements
For each question below, there are two statements. Decide whether each statement is true or false. Then decide whether statement II is a correct explanation for statement I.
Things boxed in green are correct while things boxed in red are incorrect!