Physics Nuclear Physics MDCAT 2012
PMDC Verified Question 84 of 98
What is the charge on alpha particles emitted during the phenomenon of radioactivity?
A
+e
B
-2e
C
-e
D
+2e
Tap any option to test your recall and reveal the step-by-step Propolis autopsy.

Propolis Cognitive Error Autopsy

Official Correct Choice:
Option D: +2e


Concept:

An alpha particle is physically identical to the nucleus of a helium-4 atom.

Solution:

  • It contains exactly 2 protons and 2 neutrons.


  • It contains exactly 0 electrons.


  • Because each proton carries an elementary positive charge (\(+e\)), the total charge of the 2 protons is \(+2e\).


Why other options are incorrect:

Option A is the charge of a positron or proton. Option B is physically incorrect for standard decay particles. Option C is the charge of an electron/beta particle.

Quality & Fidelity Assurance: Every question on BeambePrep is rigorously curated against the official PMDC syllabus with zero filler, zero out-of-syllabus content, and zero typos. When an authentic past paper originally contained a historical mistake or ambiguity from the examining board (such as UHS or NUMS), BeambePrep faithfully reflects the original paper while detailing the nuance and scientific consensus in the autopsy above.

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