Answers

Exam-style questions the nucleus. The nucleus is positive and repels the α-particle,
which only bounces backwards if it hits an object more
1 a same number of protons in a nucleus and the same number of massive than itself.
orbital electrons; different number of neutrons or a different
total number of nucleons in a nucleus 3 a Leptons are fundamental and hadrons are not. Fundamental
particles are those that are not made up of any others.
b i 14 neutrons and 13 protons in the nucleus at the centrex
Hadrons are made from three quarks or three antiquarks or a
ii 40 up quarks and 41 down quarks quark/antiquark pair.
c A down quark changes to an up quark, emitting a β− -particle b hadron (baryon also acceptable)
and an electron antineutrino.
c Any two from: electron (β− -particle), positron (β+ -particle),
d charge, mass–energy; (also nucleon number, proton number, neutrino or antineutrino.
lepton number)
d i electron antineutrino
e Isotopes with a greater nucleon number have more neutrons
ii a neutron changes to a proton, emitting the β− -particle
than isotopes with a lower nucleon number. They contain
and the antineutrino
more up quarks. In β− -decay, a neutron changes into a proton
(or a down quark changes into an up quark) tending more iii a down quark changes to an up quark
to stability. Likewise, isotopes with smaller nucleon number e An up quark changes to a down quark.
have fewer neutrons and up quarks. In β+ -decay, a proton f the weak interaction (the weak nuclear force)
turns into a neutron or an up quark changes to a down quark
tending more to a stable nucleus.

2 a
Chapter 17:
Radiation Nature Charge Penetrating Affected by Circular motion
ability in air magnetic
fields Exercise 17.1 Angular measure
α helium +2e 6 cm in air a little
1 a 1.50 rad
nucleus
2 protons & b 1.0 cm
2 neutrons c 2.0 m 27
β− electron −1e 2.0 m of air a lot d 0.44 rad
β+ positron +1e 2.0 m of air a lot e 0.054 m
γ high 0 km of air none f 22.5 mm
frequency never 360°
em wave or completely 2 a 2π radians = 360°, so 1 radian = = 57.3°
2π
photon stopped b i 20° = 0.349 rad
ii 75° = 1.309 rad
b i Proton number decreases by 2 and nucleon number by 4. iii 175° = 3.054 rad
ii Diagram showing magnetic field, GM tube and counter, c i 0.40 rad = 22.9°
and source(s) emitting beams of α, β− and γ -radiation.
ii 1.35 rad = 77.3°
Correct deflection according to the left-hand rule at
right angles to magnetic field should be shown with iii 2.0 rad = 114.6°
no deflection of γ -radiation. The GM tube (detector) is d i 180° = π rad
moved up and down to show that some particles are π
ii 90° = rad
not deflected, some are deflected as though they were 2
positive (α) and some as though they were negative (β−). π
iii 45° = rad
The β− particles are not deflected along one direction 4
but are deviated different amounts, the faster particles
being deflected less. 3 a, b
2r
It is difficult to perform with α -radiation as they only π/3 r
r r
travel a few centimetres in air, and it is best when done in
2.0 rad π/3 rad
a vacuum.
r r
c The detector shows that most of the α-particles pass straight
through the atom with only small deviations of a few degrees.
However, some particles are deflected through large angles.
As most particles pass straight through, most of the atom is
empty space. As some particles are deflected by large angles 4 a sin 1.0 = 0.841
over 90º (are scattered backwards), there is an object in the b i 0.540
atom where most of the mass of the atom is concentrated:
ii 1.56
 Cambridge International AS and A level Physics

iii 0.100 3 a tension in the string

iv 0.707 b 201 cm s −1 = 2.01 m s −1
v 0.500 c 10.1 m s −2 (NB better to work in m rather than cm)
c i 0.524 d velocity
ii 2.28

Exercise 17.2 Uniform circular motion

1 a 2π radians
2π
b ω= = 0.18 rad s −1
35
c 2πr = 125.7 m acceleration
125.7
d speed = = 3.6 m s −1
35 e mass of bung
e v = rω = 3.6 m s = answer to part d
−1 f The bung will fly off a long a tangent to its orbit (and start to
fall under gravity).
2 a 628.3 m
b 633.3 – 628.3 = 5.0 m 4 a 1 year = 3.16 × 107 s

c 5.04 m s −1 b 1.99 × 10 −7 rad s −1

c 6.0 × 10 −3 m s −2
3 a time = 50 s
d 1630 times as great
b angular displacement = 0.25 rad
c angular velocity = 0.005 rad s −1 5 a 2.61 m s −2

d b 3140 N
c the horizontal component of N; horizontally to the left
(towards the centre of the circle)
end start
28 d The best angle of banking is given by this equation:
tan θ = 0.267; θ = 14.9°.
6 a gravity (its weight mg); the tension in the string T
T
Exercise 17.3 Centripetal force and acceleration
1 a The object will remain stationary or it will move with constant
velocity (constant speed in a straight line) (Newton’s first law
of motion).
b towards the centre of the circle

2 a Speed is constant
b the velocity changes; its magnitude is constant but its
direction is constantly changing.
c
mg
v
v
F b 1.47 N
mg
c T= = 2.94 N
F cos 60°
F d 2.55 N
e 17.0 m s −2
f speed = 3.19 m s −1
v
F g time for one complete revolution = 1.18 s
F
v Exam-style questions
1 a angular velocity is the rate of change of angular displacement
b 1.05 rad s −1
v
c 1.32 m s −2
 Answers

d i angular velocity stays the same b A is closest to M.

ii centripetal acceleration decreases c B is furthest from M.
iii centripetal force decreases d C is at the centre; it is the centre of mass of the Earth.
half circumference πr 5 a 58.6 N
2 a angular displacement = = = π radians
radius r b 3.56 × 1022 N
π
b angular velocity = = 0.27 rad s −1
11.51
Exercise 18.2 Gravitational field strength
π × 50
speed = = 13.6 m s −1 1 a 196 N
11.51
b 1.0 N
c 348 N
c g will decrease because further from centre of Earth.
d He will start to slide across the track, taking him further from
the centre of the circle.
Gm1m2
2 a In F = , set m1 = M.
r2
Chapter 18: F GM
Then g = = . (Or set m2 = 1)
Gravitational fields m2 r 2
b g = 9.8 N kg −1
Exercise 18.1 Newton’s law of gravitation 3 a 1.63 N
1 a The gravitational force is directed towards the centre of the b 1.63 N kg −1
Earth. c 32.6 N
b the centre of the Earth d 1.63 m s −2
c field
4 a 0.198 N kg −1 towards Pluto (to the right)
lines
b 3.26 × 10 −4 N kg −1 towards Charon (to the left)
c 0.1977 N approximately, to the right; the pull of Charon
29
reduces the pull of Pluto slightly

Exercise 18.3 Gravitational potential

1 a −60 J
b −3000 J
c −3000 J
d +3000 J

d equally-spaced and straight e Q

e lines not equally spaced and point in different directions f 50 × (60 − 40) = 1000 J

2 a opposite 2 a G = gravitational constant

M = mass causing the field
b equal r = distance from (centre of) the mass causing the field
c B; same force but less mass, so greater acceleration since
a = F/m b −6.25 × 107 J kg−1
c −2.84 × 106 J kg−1
Fr 2
3 a G= d −3.40 × 108 J
m1 m2
e the orbiting astronaut (work has been done lifting him into
b substitute units in equation: units of G = N × m2 / kg 2
orbit)
4 a A 3 a −62 531 250 J
M
b −62 530 273 J
c 977 J
C d mgh = 1.0 × 9.8 × 100 = 980 J (almost exactly the same answer;
the difference comes about because we haven’t used a very
accurate value of the Earth’s radius)

B
Earth