The Atom

Multiple Choice Quiz

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The Particulate Nature of Matter means that all matter is composed of
1. small particles
2. atoms only
3. molecules only
4. atoms or ions
Aristotle, the Greek philosopher believed that all matter was made up of four elements. Which one of the following was not one of these elements?
1. smoke
2. earth
3. air
4. water
The Law of Conservation of Mass explains how
1. in a chemical reaction, the mass of the reactants is always equal to the mass of the products
2. in nature, the mass of all atoms are equal
3. the mass of two or more substances reacting together may increase after the reaction
4. the mass of a substance may decrease after burning in air
When diffusion between two gases occurs
1. the particles spread out and mingle with each other.
2. the particles always come together to react and form a new substance.
3. the atoms making up the gases break apart and spread as far apart as possible.
4. the particles move in a well-defined pattern of motion.
Which one of the following is an example of diffusion?
1. Adding milk to a cup of coffee
2. The freezing water to form ice
3. Cooking a hard-boiled egg
4. Cooking chips in a deep fat fryer
When diffusion occurs between two gases such as hydrogen (red) and helium (green), which of the following diagrams best represents what is most likely to occur?
In the early 1800s, an English chemist John Dalton proposed an Atomic Theory consisting of a number of assumptions. Four of these assumptions are given below.
Which one of these is no longer known to be true?
1. Atoms cannot be created, destroyed nor broken down into smaller parts
2. All matter consists of tiny particles called atoms
3. All atoms of the same element are identical
4. When elements react, their atoms combine in simple whole number ratios
Around the 1870s, this scientist studied mysterious rays in sealed glass tubes.
He was
1. William Crookes
2. J J Thomson
3. Robert Millikan
4. Ernest Rutherford
Which one of the following statements is NOT true about the atom?
1. Atoms of the same element may have different numbers of protons.
2. Atoms are the smallest part of an element that still retain the properties of that element.
3. Atoms are the basic building blocks of matter.
4. Not all atoms contain neutrons.
In the Maltese Cross experiment performed by William Crookes, which one of the following is not true?
1. All of the electrons leaving the cathode are absorbed by the Maltese cross.
2. Electrons leave the cathode under a very high voltage.
3. This experiment shows that cathode rays travel in straight lines.
4. A fluorescence appears on the far end of the screen where the cathode rays strike the tube.
Which two of the following statements are CORRECT?
Select two answers and click on the Check button.
1. The nucleus contains most of the mass of the atom
2. The nucleus occupies very little space in the atom.
3. The nucleus contains neutrons and electrons.
4. The nucleus always has a zero charge.
Which property of cathode rays did the apparatus shown prove?
1. Cathode rays have mass.
2. Cathode rays are deflected by magnetic fields.
3. Cathode rays have a negative charge.
4. Cathode rays are composed of electrons.
Which one of the following is a property of cathode rays?
1. They can be deflected by electric fields.
2. They have no charge.
3. They consist of electromagnetic radiation with zero mass.
4. They are unaffected by magnetic fields.
The term 'electron' was first proposed by which physics professor?
1. George Stoney
2. Ernest Rutherford
3. Robert Millikan
4. J J Thomson
In 1897, J J Thomson studied cathode rays using an apparatus similar to that shown.
From the results of his experiments, he deduced
1. that cathode rays were negatively charged particles
2. that cathode rays were high speed protons
3. that cathode rays were not deflected by magnetic fields
4. the charge on an electron was 1.6 x 10^-19C
The ratio of the charge on an electron to its mass is known as its specific charge (e/m). J J Thomson first calculated this value in 1897.
The value for the charge (e) and the mass (m) were later found in 1909 as a result of which famous experiment?
1. Millikan's oil drop
2. Thomson's plum pudding
3. Rutherford's gold foil
4. Crooke's cathode rays
As a result of an experiment carried out in 1909 by Geiger and Marsden, Rutherford deduced that
1. a positive charge was concentrated in a small dense nucleus of the atom.
2. atoms contain negatively charged particles.
3. the neutron was in the nucleus of the atom.
4. alpha particles consisted of a helium nucleus with a positive charge.
As a result of bombarding beryllium with alpha-particles in 1932, the neutron was discovered.
Which scientist is credited with this discovery?
1. James Chadwick
2. Ernest Rutherford
3. Robert Millikan
4. Albert Einstein
The diagram shows a cathode ray tube.
Which one of the following statements is correct?
1. A is the cathode and C is a negatively charged plate
2. B is the cathode and D is a positively charged plate
3. A is the cathode and C is a positively charged plate
4. A is the anode and B is the cathode
The apparatus used for Millikan's famous oil-drop experiment is shown in the diagram. With reference to this experiment, which one of the following statements is correct?
1. Millikan found that the charges on the oil-drops were a whole number multiple of a basic value.
2. The upward electric force on the oil-drops must be greater than the gravitational force on the drops.
3. The charge on the electric plates does not effect the velocity of the falling oil-drops.
4. This experiment allowed Millikan to determine the mass of an electron for the very first time.
The Gold Leaf experiment was carried out in 1911 by Geiger and Marsden. The diagram shows the apparatus used.
Name the labelled parts.
1. A = Source of alpha-particles, B = Gold foil, C = Lead block
2. A = Source of alpha-particles, B = Lead block, C = Gold foil
3. A = Beam of alpha-particles, B = Gold foil, C = Lead block
4. A = Beam of alpha-particles, B = Lead block, C = Gold foil
The proton, neutron and electron were respectively discovered by
1. Rutherford, Chadwick and Thomson
2. Marsden, Chadwick and Thomson
3. Rutherford, Chadwick and Stoney
4. Chadwick, Rutherford and Thomson.
In 1911, Rutherford bombarded a thin gold foil with alpha particles.
As a result of this experiment, the nucleus was discovered.
Which one of the following did not happen in this experiment?
1. The alpha particles caused the gold foil to fluoresce.
2. Most of the alpha particles passed straight through the gold foil.
3. Some of the alpha particles were deflected through large angles.
4. Some of the alpha particles were deflected back along their own path.
In 1911, Rutherford bombarded a thin gold foil with alpha particles.
What three pieces of information did he deduce from this experiment?
1. Most of the atom consists of empty space.
2. Most of the atom's mass is concentrated at its centre.
3. The nucleus is at the centre of the atom.
4. The nucleus has a negative charge.
Which one of these scientists identified cathode rays as being electrons?
1. J J Thomson
2. Neils Bohr
3. Henri Becquerel
4. Erwin Schrödinger
Which species represent a pair of isotopes?
1. A and D
2. A and B
3. A and C
4. C and D
5. B and D
How many unpaired electrons are there in the Co²⁺ ion?
1. 5
2. 3
3. 7
4. 2
Which of the following processes occur in the mass spectrometer?
1. Ionization by electron bombardment
2. Acceleration by a magnetic field
3. Deflection by a magnetic field
1. 1 and 3 only
2. 1 and 2 only
3. 2 and 3 only
4. 1, 2 and 3
What flame colour do copper ions produce when heated?
1. Blue-green
2. Brick red
3. Pale purple
4. Yellow-orange
What is the correct sequence for the stages of operation in a mass spectrometer?
1. vaporization → ionization → acceleration → deflection
2. ionization → vaporization → acceleration deflection
3. ionization → vaporization → deflection acceleration
4. vaporization → acceleration → ionization deflection
Which statements are correct for the emission spectrum of the hydrogen atom?
1. The lines converge (are closer together) at lower energies. 2. Electron transitions to n =1 are responsible for lines in the UV region. 3. Lines are produced when electrons move from higher to lower energy levels.
1. 2 and 3 only
2. 1 and 3 only
3. 1 and 2 only
4. 1, 2 and 3
In which one of the following pairs do the particles have approximately the same mass?
1. A neutron and a proton
2. A proton and an electron
3. An electron and a neutron
4. an electron and a hydrogen atom
The atoms ¹²C and ¹⁴C are regarded as isotopes of the same element because their
1. atoms have different numbers of neutrons.
2. atomic numbers differ.
3. atoms have the same mass number.
4. atoms have similar physical properties.
The maximum number of electrons which can occupy an orbital in an atom is
1. Two
2. 0, 1 or 2
3. 2, 8 or 18, depending on which orbital is being considered
4. Any whole number
Which of the following staatements is correct regarding the components of an atom?
1. The electrons and protons have equal but opposite charge.
2. The neutrons and electrons have the same mass.
3. The protons and neutrons have the same charge.
4. The nucleus provides the bulk of the volume of an atom.