[ RadSafe ] Flawed Test Questions.....Calling all teachers/profs

Tue Apr 9 12:08:31 CDT 2013

I also agree with Jake that these questions are poorly worded, but they did
not mention charge, so you are reading too much into the question.  To
successfully take a (poorly worded) test you have to put yourself into the
mind of the person who authored the question.  If they had wanted induced
EMF, they would have mentioned the charge.  It still would be poorly
worded.  Once I complained about this sort of thing and a friend (Joe
Primeaux at Illinois Power's Clinton Station) asked me if I was ever in the
army.  He said, "just tell them what they want to hear..".  I never forgot
that advice.

Joe

On Tue, Apr 9, 2013 at 12:39 PM, Jerry <gelsg at aol.com> wrote:

> Sorry Joe.  I agree with Jake.  These are bad questions.  For instance, in
> question 1, if the "foreign particle" has any charge, there will be an
> induced EMF on it and on the nucleus.  Why include such a possible answer?
>
> Jerry
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
> On Apr 9, 2013, at 8:40 AM, Joseph Shonka <jjshonka at shonka.com> wrote:
>
> > Jake
> >
> > I think these are trying to be tricky questions that separate "thinkers"
> > from "reactors";)
> >
> > While your interpretation is correct, the clue to the first question is
> in
> > the words "artificial" and "natural".  How can you have a "natural"
> > transmutation when bombarding a nucleus?  That has to be the trick.  The
> > correct answer has to be b, an artificial transmutation.  While I agree
> > with you that it could either be transmutation or fusion, the fusion
> > reaction was not included in the choices of answers.  I don't like the
> how
> > it is phrased any bettter than you, but you have to work with what you
> > have.  As for the second question, the only stable isotope of Cesium is
> > 133.  Thus the person writing the question is asking what is the only
> > isotope in the listing of Cesium, the answer I expect is c, 13555Cs.
> >
> > Good luck.  I agree these questions are not worded as well as they should
> > be, but I think the intent can be inferred from the answers provided.
> >
> > Joe Shonka
> >
> > On Wed, Apr 3, 2013 at 3:17 PM, Jake Hecla <jakehecla at gmail.com> wrote:
> >
> >> Hello Radsafe- I am a student interested in nuclear physics, and I am
> in a
> >> bit of a conundrum regarding a test I recently took that I believe has
> >> fundamentally flawed questions. While I realize this isn't a board to
> turn
> >> to for help in schooling, I am concerned the writer of these AP Physics
> >> practice tests (not my teacher, they're from an online teacher resource
> >> site) has no idea what he's doing, and is severely screwing up our
> >> education. I am looking for people ( teachers/professors especially) who
> >> have a bit more experience here to review these questions and let me
> know
> >> if you see the same flaws that I do. I have attached photos of the
> >> questions as proof, but I'm typing them out to make them easy to read.
> >>
> >> Questions:
> >>
> >> 1.  Which of the following is likely to be induced by bombarding a
> nucleus
> >> with foreign particles?
> >>
> >> a)      an EMF
> >>
> >> b)      an artificial transmutation
> >>
> >> c)       a natural transmutation
> >>
> >> d)      a gamma emission
> >>
> >> e)      a fusion reaction
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> -If I’m not mistaken, doesn’t it vary based on the particle, the energy
> and
> >> the nucleus? For example, if the target was tritium and you bombarded it
> >> with deuterium, wouldn’t you expect a fusion reaction rather than a
> >> “transmutation?” Conversely, if it was a heavier nucleus prone to
> absorbing
> >> a neutron, wouldn’t it then be more likely to be a transmutation?
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> 7. Which of the following is an isotope of 13355 Cs ?
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> a)      12354Xe
> >>
> >> b)      13353I
> >>
> >> c)       13555Cs
> >>
> >> d)      17087Fr
> >>
> >> e)      21186Rn
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> -I believe this question is fundamentally flawed. How can you have an
> >> isotope of a given isotope?
> >>
> >> _______________________________________________
> >> You are currently subscribed to the RadSafe mailing list
> >>
> >> Before posting a message to RadSafe be sure to have read and understood
> >> the RadSafe rules. These can be found at:
> >> http://health.phys.iit.edu/radsaferules.html
> >>
> >> For information on how to subscribe or unsubscribe and other settings
> >> visit: http://health.phys.iit.edu
> >>
> >>
> >
> >
> > --
> > Joseph J. Shonka, Ph.D.
> > Shonka Research Associates, Inc.
> > 119 Ridgemore Circle
> > Toccoa, GA 30577
> > 770-509-7606
> >
> > This e-mail, and any attachments thereto, is intended only for use by the
> > addressee(s) named herein and may contain legally privileged and/or
> > confidential information. If you are not the intended recipient of this
> > e-mail, you are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution or
> > copying of this e-mail, and any attachments thereto, is strictly
> > prohibited. If you have received this e-mail in error, please immediately
> > notify Shonka Research Associates, Inc. at (770) 509-7606 and
> permanently
> > delete the original and any copy of any e-mail and any printout thereof.
> > _______________________________________________
> > You are currently subscribed to the RadSafe mailing list
> >
> > Before posting a message to RadSafe be sure to have read and understood
> the RadSafe rules. These can be found at:
> http://health.phys.iit.edu/radsaferules.html
> >
> > For information on how to subscribe or unsubscribe and other settings
> visit: http://health.phys.iit.edu
> _______________________________________________
> You are currently subscribed to the RadSafe mailing list
>
> Before posting a message to RadSafe be sure to have read and understood
> the RadSafe rules. These can be found at:
> http://health.phys.iit.edu/radsaferules.html
>
> For information on how to subscribe or unsubscribe and other settings
> visit: http://health.phys.iit.edu
>

-- 
Joseph J. Shonka, Ph.D.
Shonka Research Associates, Inc.
119 Ridgemore Circle
Toccoa, GA 30577
770-509-7606

This e-mail, and any attachments thereto, is intended only for use by the
addressee(s) named herein and may contain legally privileged and/or
confidential information. If you are not the intended recipient of this
e-mail, you are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution or
copying of this e-mail, and any attachments thereto, is strictly
prohibited. If you have received this e-mail in error, please immediately
notify Shonka Research Associates, Inc. at (770) 509-7606 and permanently
delete the original and any copy of any e-mail and any printout thereof.