1 Bismuth-214 is radioactive. It has a half-life of 20 minutes.
(a) The nuclide notation for bismuth-214 is Bi.
State the composition of the nucleus of bismuth-214.
83 protons
...........................................................................................................................................
131 neutrons
........................................................................................................................................... [2]
(b) Bismuth-214 decays by β-decay to an isotope of polonium, Po.
Complete the equation for the decay of bismuth-214.
→ β +
214
214 ...........
O ...........
83 Bi ...........
I ...........
82 Po
[3]
(c) The count rate from a sample of bismuth-214 is 360 counts / s.
Predict the count rate from the sample after 60 minutes.
360
⑳& 180
⑳ S ap
⑳ ↓ 95 45
count rate = ................................................................. [2]
O
(d) State two of the social, economic or environmental issues involved in the storage of radioactive
materials with very long half-lives.
Very expensive to build (High Cost)
...........................................................................................................................................
The environment may be affected if the radiation was to leak.
...........................................................................................................................................
People may be hesitant to be near the storage facility as they believe radiation is dangerous
...........................................................................................................................................
........................................................................................................................................... [2]
[Total: 9]
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O
2 In Geiger and Marsden’s α-particle scattering experiment, α-particles were directed at a very thin
gold foil.
Fig. 11.1 shows five of the nuclei of the atoms in one layer in the gold foil. Also shown are the
paths of three α-particles directed at the foil.
>
Fig. 11.1
(a) On Fig.11.1, complete the paths of the three α-particles.
par
(b)
b) State the result of the experiment that shows that an atom consists of a very tiny,
charged core, containing almost all the mass of the atom.
Some of the bounce back
alpha particles
[1]
+
(ii) State the sign of the charge on this core. ...................................................................... [1]
(iii) State what occupies the space between these charged cores.
Protons and Neutrons Empty Space [1]
4
(c) The nuclide notation for an α-particle is 2 α.
State the number of protons and neutrons in an α-particle
protons = 2
neutrons = 2 [1]
[Total: 7]
[Link]
3 An extremely violent nuclear reaction is taking place at the centre of the Sun. It is this reaction that
enables the Sun to emit both a very large quantity of energy and an extremely large number of
charged particles.
(a) Name the type of nuclear reaction taking place in the Sun.
Nuclear fission
...............................................................................................................................................[1]
O
(b) Many of the charged particles produced by the Sun are emitted from its surface at high
speeds and travel out into space.
(i) Explain why these particles constitute an electric current.
Due to beta particles being emitted, electrons are present and therefore a charged particle
...........................................................................................................................................
is present which constitutes towards an electric current,
.......................................................................................................................................[1]
(ii) State the equation that relates the electric current I to the charge Q that is flowing. Define
any other terms in the equation.
I=
Q
...........................................................................................................................................
T Time (
.......................................................................................................................................[1]
(c) Some of the particles emitted by the Sun travel straight towards the Earth until they enter the
Earth’s magnetic field. Because they constitute a current, they experience a force and are
deflected.
(i)
O1.
Describe the relationship between the direction of the force and
the direction of the current,
Perpendicular to the magnetic field.
S
................................................................................................................................[1]
2. the direction of the magnetic field.
Perpendicular to the
magnetic field .
................................................................................................................................[1]
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(ii) A negatively charged particle is travelling in a magnetic field. This is represented in
Fig. 9.1. The direction of the magnetic field is into the page.
direction of travel
of particle
magnetic field
into page
F
negative particle
Fig. 9.1
·
On Fig. 9.1, draw an arrow, labelled F, to show the direction of the force that acts on the
particle. [1]
[Total: 6]
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(a) State, in terms of the particles in e ach nucleus, how the nuclei of two isotopes of the same
element are different.
Different number of neutrons.
...............................................................................................................................................[1]
(b) Fig. 11.1 shows a graph of nucleon number against proton number. The nucleus 21 2 Bi is
83
plotted on the graph at the cross marked P.
213
P
212 XR
nucleon 211
number
210
209
208 xQ
79 80 81 82 83 84
proton number 258
Fig. 11.1 8)
(i) O n Fig. 11.1,
1. plot a cross labelled Q for the nucleus formed when the 21 2 Bi nucleus emits an
83
α-particle,
2. plot a cross labelled R for the nucleus formed when the 21 2 Bi nucleus emits a
83
β-particle.
[4]
(ii) The half-life for the decay of 218 23 Bi is 60 minutes.
A sample of 218 23 Bi is placed at a fixed distance from a detector. The initial me asurement
of the count rate from the sample of 218 23 Bi is 2400 counts per minute.
C alculate the count rate from the sample 5.0 hours later.
2400
O &1200
② , 00
③ 300 75
count-rate = ...........................................................[2]
⑧ 150
[Total: 7]
⑨ 15
[Link]
Uranium-238 and uranium-234 are radioactive isotopes of the element uranium.
A uranium-238 nucleus is different from a uranium-234 nucleus but both decay by the emission of
an α-particle.
(a) (i) In terms of the particles in e ach, state how a nucleus of uranium-238 differs from a
nucleus of uranium-234.
They differ as they have a difference of a neutrons.
...........................................................................................................................................
Uranium-238 has a neutrons than Uranium-239
.......................................................................................................................................[2]
more
(ii) Although the two nuclei are different, they are both nuclei of uranium.
State a property that makes these isotopes the same element.
The same number of protons .
...........................................................................................................................................
.......................................................................................................................................[1]
O
(b) When α-particles pass through air, they are more strongly ionising than β-particles.
Suggest two re asons why this is so.
Because its charge is higher.
...................................................................................................................................................
It moves slower.
...............................................................................................................................................[2]
(c) In an experiment, α-particles are allowed to strike a thin gold foil in a vacuum.
Almost all the α-particles pass straight through the gold undeflected. O nly a very small
number of α-particles are deflected from their original path.
This result reve als certain fe atures of the atoms of the gold.
State what is shown about atoms by the fact that
(i) most α-particles pass straight through the gold undeflected,
&
An atom is made up of
mostly empty
...........................................................................................................................................
space
.......................................................................................................................................[1]
(ii) some α-particles are deflected back the way they came.
An atom has a charged core called the nucleus
...........................................................................................................................................
where most of its mass is concentrated .
.......................................................................................................................................[1]
[Total: 7]
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In a famous experiment, a be am consisting of a very large number of α-particles was projected, in
a vacuum, at a very thin gold foil.
Fig. 11.1 shows the paths of thre e of the α-particles A, B and C travelling towards the foil.
gold foil
A
>
3
B
Fig. 11.1
α-particle A is travelling along a line which does not pass very close to a gold nucleus.
α-particle B is travelling along a line which passes close to a gold nucleus.
α-particle C is travelling directly towards a gold nucleus.
(a) E xplain why an α-particle and a gold nucleus repel e ach other.
Both are
positively charged
.............................................................................................................................................. [1]
(b) O n Fig. 11.1, draw lines with arrows to show the continuation of the paths of α-particles A, B
and C. [3]
(c) State two conclusions, about gold atoms, which resulted from the experiment.
They are mostly made up of empty space while they have a charged core
...................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................
called the nucleus where most of their mass is concentrated.
...................................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................. [2]
[Total: 6]
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There are two stable, naturally occurring isotopes of hydrogen.
Common hydrogen (hydrogen-1) has a proton number of 1 and a nucleon number of 1.
Hydrogen-2 (deuterium) has a nucleon number of 2.
There is also a radioactive isotope of hydrogen called tritium (hydrogen-3), with a nucleon
number of 3.
(a) Complete the table for neutral atoms of these isotopes.
hydrogen-1 hydrogen-2 hydrogen-3
(deuterium) (tritium)
number of protons I I I
number of neutrons 8 I 2
number of electrons I I I
[3]
(b) Two samples of tritium are stored in aluminium containers of different thickness.
Sample 1 is in a container of thickness 0.5 mm and radiation can be detected coming
through the container.
Sample 2 is in a container of thickness 5 mm and no radiation comes through.
(i) State the type of radiation coming through the container of Sample 1.
Gamma radiation
.............................................................................................................................. [1]
(ii) Explain your answer to (b)(i).
This is because gamma radiation can penetrate through thin
..................................................................................................................................
walls of aluminum while cannot penetrate through a thick wall of
..................................................................................................................................
aluminum. Beta particles are stopped by a thin wall of aluminum
..................................................................................................................................
hence they did not pass in sample 1. Alpha particles cannot
.............................................................................................................................. [2]
penetrate aluminum.
This is because beta particles are stopped by thick walls of aluiminium and so when the
wall is thin beta particles can still pass through but when the walls are thick beta particles
are stopped.
[Link]
(c) Under conditions of extremely high temperature and pressure, as in the interior of the
Sun, hydrogen nuclei can join together.
(i) Name this process.
Nuclear Fusion
.............................................................................................................................. [1]
(ii) State whether energy is released, absorbed or neither released nor absorbed
during this reaction.
Energy is released
.............................................................................................................................. [1]
(d) When a nucleus of a certain isotope of uranium is bombarded by a suitable neutron, it
splits into two smaller nuclei and energy is released.
Name this process.
Radioactive
decay
...................................................................................................................................... [1]
[Total: 9]
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