AP Physics B

Atomic and Nuclear Physics PHYSICS B 14 Multiple-Choice Questions

Directions: Each of the questions or incomplete statements below is followed by five suggested answers or completions. Select the one that is best in each case. 1. The ground state, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th electron energy levels of a single-electron atom are 340 eV, 84 eV,

38 eV, and 21 eV, respectively. Which of the following gives the energy of a photon that could NOT be emitted by this atom during an electron transition?
a)

17 eV 42 eV 64 eV

b) c)

d) 255 eV e) 302 eV
2. How does e, the de Broglie wavelength of an electron (mass = me), compare with p, the de Broglie

wavelength of a proton (mass = mp) moving with the same kinetic energy as the electron? a) b) c) d)
e)

e = p m p me e = p me m p e = p ( m p me ) 2 e = p ( me m p ) 2 e = p , because the electron and proton have the same magnitude of charge

13 13 3. Identify the missing particle in the nuclear reaction given: 6 C + ( ? ) 7 N + n .

a) b) c) d) e)

Electron Proton Deuteron Positron Gamma-ray photon

4. In an experiment designed to study the photoelectric effect, it is observed that low-intensity visible light of wavelength 550 nm produced no photoelectrons. Which of the following best describes what would occur if the intensity of this light were increased dramatically? a) b) c) Almost immediately, photoelectrons would be produced with a kinetic energy equal to the energy of the incident photons. Almost immediately, photoelectrons would be produced with a kinetic energy equal to the energy of the incident photons minus the work function of the metal. After several seconds, necessary for the electrons to absorb sufficient energy from the incident light, photoelectrons would be produced with a kinetic energy equal to the energy of the incident photons. d) After several seconds, necessary for the electrons to absorb sufficient energy from the incident light, photoelectrons would be produced with a kinetic energy equal to the energy of the incident photons minus the work function of the metal. e) Nothing would happen.

5. Two nuclides that have the same excess number of neutrons over protons are called isodiapheres. Which

of the following is an isodiaphere of a) b) c) d) e)

67 31

68 30

Zn ?

Ga Ge As Se Br

74 32 75 33 72 34 78 35

6. What is the ratio of neutrons in thorium to the number of neutrons in uranium

238 92 4 U 234 Th + 2 . 90

Th / U if

a) b) c) d) e)

234/238 90/92 144/146 1/1 324/330

7. Whether or not electrons are ejected from a metal exposed to electromagnetic radiation depends on the radiation's a) velocity b) c) d) e) intensity wavelength incidence angle Gamma-ray photon

8. The energy level of an atom changes as it absorbs and emits energy. Which of the following is NOT a possible energy level of an atom? a) 3 4 hf b)
c) d)

hf 3hf 4hf All of the above are possible.

e)

9. What is the de Broglie wavelength of an electron moving at 391 km/s?

a) 3.5 10 25 m b) c) d) e)

4.79 10 15 m 3.2 10 15 m 1.86 10 9 m 5.2 10 6 m

10. What is the work function of a metal? a) a measure of how much work an electron emitted from the metal can do b)
c)

equal to the threshold frequency the energy needed to free the metal atom's innermost electron the energy needed to free the most weakly bound electron the work required to exert the potential difference which calculates the emitted wavelength

d)
e)

11. What is the wavelength of a monochromatic light beam where the photon energy is 2.00 eV? a) 414 nm b) c) d) e)
12.

621 nm 746 nm 829 nm 995 nm How much energy does a photon of red light ( = 640 nm) have? 2.50 eV 1.94 eV 1.32 eV 0.79 eV The ionization energy for the hydrogen atom is 13.6 eV. What is the energy of a photon that is

a) 3.26 eV b) c) d) e)
13.

emitted, as a hydrogen atom makes a transition between the n = 5 and n = 3 states?

a) 0.544 eV b) c) d) e)

0.967 eV 1.24 eV 1.51 eV 1.79 eV

14. A hydrogen atom in the ground state absorbs a 12.1 eV photon. To what level is the electron promoted?
a) n = 2 b) n = 3 c) n = 4 d) n = 5

e) none of the above