The Structure of the Atom
Practice Test
1.
What properties did Rutherford use in the design of the gold foil experiment?
a.
alpha particle's positive charge and electron's negative charge
b.
alpha particle's negative charge and random distribution of protons
c.
positively charged electrons distributed in a uniform negative charge
d.
alpha particle's negative charge and gold foil's positive charge
2.
What is the smallest particle of an element that maintains the properties of the element?
a.
atom
b.
mixture
c.
cation
d.
molecule
3.
What fundamental particle is identical to a beta particle?
a.
the neutron
b.
the electron
c.
the positron
d.
the proton
4.
What is the name for atoms of an element that have different masses?
a.
isotopes
b.
isomers
c.
allotropes
d.
alloforms
5.
Which of the following is a correct statement about a neutral atom?
a.
The atoms carry a positive or a negative charge.
b.
The atom is radioactive.
c.
The atom has the same number of proton and electrons.
d.
Neutrons are present in the nucleus.
6.
What is the charge of a gamma ray?
a.
2
+
b.
1
+
c.
0
d.
1
–
7.
Which of the following is not a fundamental particle in an atom?
a.
electron
b.
neutron
c.
element
d.
proton
8.
What is the primary factor in determining an atom’s stability?
a.
neutron to electron ratio
b.
neutron to proton ratio
c.
proton to electron ratio
d.
alpha particle to beta particle ratio
9.
What is the name of the element that has an atomic number of 3?
a.
helium
b.
lithium
c.
beryllium
d.
lanthanum
10.
What is the negatively—charged particle in an atom?
a.
neutron
b.
proton
c.
electron
d.
positron
11.
What is the name for the emission of rays and particles by a radioactive material?
a.
radioactive series
b.
decay
c.
nuclear reactivity
d.
radiation
12.
Which of the following statements concerning hydrogen is false?
a.
All hydrogen isotopes have one neutron.
b.
Hydrogen’s electron is not found in the nucleus.
c.
All hydrogen isotopes have one electron.
d.
All hydrogen isotopes have one proton.
13.
What is the charge of an alpha particle?
a.
1
+
b.
0
c.
2
+
d.
1
–
14.
What can you conclude from the deflection of a cathode ray in a magnetic field?
a.
The ray must need to travel in a vacuum.
b.
The ray must be composed of charged particles.
c.
The ray must be composed of iron.
d.
The ray must have a positive charge.
15.
Which of the following particles has a mass that is almost the same as the mass of a proton?
a.
positron
b.
beta particle
c.
electron
d.
neutron
16.
Which of the results of Rutherford's gold foil experiments was not consistent with the plum pudding atomic model?
a.
Most of the alpha particles passed straight through the gold foil.
b.
Some alpha particles were deflected straight back toward the particle source.
c.
The zinc sulfide coated screen produced a flash of light whenever it was struck by an alpha particle.
d.
The paths of alpha particles were only slightly altered by collisions with electrons.
17.
The sum of the protons and neutrons in a nucleus is __________.
a.
the atomic number
b.
Avogadro’s number
c.
the element number
d.
the mass number
