1
1 Radon-219 is a radioactive gas.
Alpha particles are emitted when radon-219 decays.
Tick the box alongside the correct symbol for an alpha particle.
[1]
[Total: 1]
2 Radon-219 is a radioactive gas.
Alpha particles are emitted when radon-219 decays.
From what part of the radon-219 atom is the alpha particle emitted?
.................................................................................................................................................. [1]
[Total: 1]
2
3 An underground water pipe has cracked and water is leaking into the surrounding ground.
The figure shows a technician locating the position of the leak.
technician
ground surface
water that leaked
metal water pipe into ground
crack in water pipe
Fig. 11.1
A radioactive isotope is introduced into the water supply and the water that leaks from the crack is
radioactive.
The technician tries to locate an area above the pipe where the radioactive count rate is higher
than in the surrounding area.
State and explain the type of radiation that must be emitted by the isotope for the leak to be detected.
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.................................................................................................................................................. [2]
[Total: 2]
4 Describe how an electric field between two charged plates could be used to determine whether a
beam of particles consists of α- or β-particles.
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.................................................................................................................................................. [2]
[Total: 2]
3
5 An underground water pipe has cracked and water is leaking into the surrounding ground.
The figure shows a technician locating the position of the leak.
technician
ground surface
water that leaked
metal water pipe into ground
crack in water pipe
Fig. 11.1
A radioactive isotope is introduced into the water supply and the water that leaks from the crack is
radioactive.
The technician tries to locate an area above the pipe where the radioactive count rate is higher
than in the surrounding area.
The half-life of the isotope used is 6.0 hours.
Explain why an isotope with this half-life is suitable.
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.................................................................................................................................................. [2]
[Total: 2]
6 State the nature of an α-particle.
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.................................................................................................................................................. [1]
[Total: 1]
4
7 The radiation detector and counter in the figure below are being used to count particles from a
radioactive source.
counter
X Y
radiation detector
Each time the counter is used to make a measurement, it is first reset to zero and then left switched
on for 3 minutes.
A radioactive source emitting β-particles is placed at X. After 3 minutes, the counter reads 592
counts.
Calculate the average count rate, in counts / min, from the radioactive source.
count rate = ........................... counts / min [3]
[Total: 3]
8 The radiation detector and counter in the figure below are being used to count particles from a
radioactive source.
counter
X Y
radiation detector
Each time the counter is used to make a measurement, it is first reset to zero and then left switched
on for 3 minutes.
With no radioactive source anywhere near the radiation detector, after being switched on for 3
minutes the reading on the counter is 85 counts.
Suggest what radiation caused this reading.
.................................................................................................................................................. [1]
[Total: 1]
5
9 350 dice are made from small cubes of wood with one face painted blue, as shown in the figure
below.
blue face
Throwing large numbers of dice represents radioactive decay.
The 350 dice are thrown on a bench. All those dice that land with the blue face uppermost are
removed. They are regarded as having “decayed”.
The remaining dice are then thrown again, and the “blue-uppermost” dice are removed. This process
is repeated until the number of dice remaining is quite small.
The table below shows the number of dice remaining after each throw.
throw 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
number of dice
350 289 327 201 168 138 115 94 79 67 59 50 41 39 35
remaining
On the graph, points have been plotted for some of the readings in the table.
(a) On the graph, plot the first five points and draw the best smooth curve for all the points.
[3]
(b)
(i) Complete the sentence below.
The half-life of a radioactive substance is the time taken to reduce the
number of nuclei
of the original sort to............... its original value.
[1]
(ii) Throwing dice obeys the same laws as radioactive decay.
From your graph, find the “half-life” of dice, showing clearly on the graph how you
obtained your answer.
“half-life” of dice = ........................... throws [3]
6
350
300
number of
dice
remaining
250
200
150
100
50
0
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14
throw number
(c) The experiment is repeated with 800 dice.
(i) Suggest how many throws it takes to reduce the number of dice to 400.
................................................................................................................................ [1]
(ii) Explain your answer.
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................................................................................................................................ [1]
[Total: 9]
7
10 A technician sets up a radiation detector in a university laboratory, for use in some experiments.
Even before the radioactive source for the experiment is brought into the laboratory, the detector
registers a low count rate.
A radioactive source that emits α-particles is placed on the laboratory bench and the source is
gradually moved closer to the detector.
At first, the detector continues to register a low count rate sometimes slightly less than the count
rate registered without the source. The count rate suddenly increases to a very high value when
the source is very close to the detector.
Explain these changes in the count rate.
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.................................................................................................................................................. [3]
[Total: 3]
11 A technician sets up a radiation detector in a university laboratory, for use in some experiments.
Even before the radioactive source for the experiment is brought into the laboratory, the detector
registers a low count rate.
Suggest what causes this count rate.
.................................................................................................................................................. [1]
[Total: 1]
12 A technician sets up a radiation detector in a university laboratory for use in a class experiment.
(a) A radioactive source that emits β-particles is placed on the laboratory bench, 10 cm from the
detector. A small count rate is registered.
(i) State the name of the particle, found in an atom, that is identical to a β-particle.
................................................................................................................................ [1]
8
(ii) The technician sets up the same equipment in the same way every year. He notices
that the count rate registered by the detector every year is slightly smaller than it was
the previous year.
Suggest why this is so.
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................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................ [2]
(b) In a second experiment, the same equipment is set up but a radioactive source that emits
α-particles is placed 10 cm from the detector. The same number of particles are emitted every
second from this source as were emitted from the β-source in (a).
Explain why the count rate obtained is much lower.
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...........................................................................................................................................
........................................................................................................................................... [2]
[Total: 5]
13 A technician sets up a radiation detector in a university laboratory, for use in some experiments.
Even before the radioactive source for the experiments is brought into the laboratory, the detector
registers a small count rate due to background radiation.
Suggest one source of this background radiation.
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.................................................................................................................................................. [1]
[Total: 1]
14 A technician sets up a radiation detector in a university laboratory, for use in some experiments.
Even before the radioactive source for the experiments is brought into the laboratory, the detector
registers a small count rate due to background radiation.
The radioactive source emits γ-rays. It is placed on the laboratory bench close to the detector.
(a) State what γ-rays are.
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........................................................................................................................................... [2]
9
(b) A lead sheet of thickness 10 mm is positioned between the detector and the radioactive source.
State and explain what happens to the count rate on the detector.
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........................................................................................................................................... [2]
[Total: 4]
15 A technician sets up a radiation detector in a university laboratory for use in a class experiment.
In the experiment, β-particles pass between two parallel, horizontal metal plates in a vacuum. They
then continue to the detector as shown in the figure.
metal plate
β–particles
source detector
metal plate
A very high p.d. is connected between the plates, with the lower plate positive.
On the figure, sketch the new path of the β-particles.
[2]
[Total: 2]
16 A technician sets up a radiation detector in a university laboratory, for use in some experiments.
Even before the radioactive source for the experiment is brought into the laboratory, the detector
registers a low count rate.
In one of the experiments, α-particles pass between two parallel, horizontal metal plates in a vacuum.
They then continue to the detector as shown in the figure.
metal plate
α-particles
source detector
metal plate
A positive charge is established on the upper plate and a negative charge on the lower plate.
10
(a) On the figure, sketch the new path of the α-particles.
[2]
(b) State what happens to the count rate registered by the detector.
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........................................................................................................................................... [1]
[Total: 3]
17 A technician sets up a radiation detector in a university laboratory, for use in some experiments.
In one experiment, γ-rays pass through air to the detector, as shown in the figure.
One end of a bar magnet is brought close to the path of the γ-rays.
(a) Tick one box to indicate the effect on the path of the γ-rays.
deflected into the page
deflected out of the page
deflected downwards
deflected upwards
no deflection
[1]
(b) Explain your answer to (a).
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........................................................................................................................................... [1]
[Total: 2]
11
18 Compared with -particles and -rays, -particles
A are the only type of radiation to carry a charge.
B have the greatest ionising effect.
C have the greatest penetrating effect.
D have the smallest mass.
[1]
[Total: 1]
19 The graph shows how the count rate from a radioactive specimen changes with time.
count rate
counts / minute
2000
1500
1000
500
0
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 time / hours
Use the graph to determine the half-life of the radioactive material. Make clear marks on the graph
to show how you obtained the answer.
half-life = ........................... [2]
[Total: 2]
12
20 A dish contains a sample of radioactive powder. The half-life of the radioactive substance is known
to be 26 minutes. It decays by β-particle emission.
A radiation detector, held close to the powder, records a count rate of 800 counts / min, after
subtraction of the background count rate.
A time of 26 minutes is allowed to elapse after recording the 800 counts / min count rate. A new
count rate is then taken.
Calculate the new count rate due to the powder.
count rate = ........................... counts / min [1]
[Total: 1]
21 A dish contains a sample of radioactive powder. The half-life of the radioactive substance is known
to be 26 minutes. It decays by β-particle emission.
A radiation detector, held close to the powder, records a count rate of 800 counts / min, after
subtraction of the background count rate.
A time of 26 minutes is allowed to elapse after recording the 800 counts / min count rate. A new
count rate is then taken.
How many atoms in total remain in the sample after 26 minutes has elapsed? Tick one box.
no atoms are left
the same as at the start
half the number at the start
twice the number at the start
[1]
[Total: 1]
13
22 A dish contains a sample of radioactive powder. The half-life of the radioactive substance is known
to be 26 minutes. It decays by β-particle emission.
A radiation detector, held close to the powder, records a count rate of 800 counts / min, after
subtraction of the background count rate.
A time of 26 minutes is allowed to elapse after recording the 800 counts / min count rate. A new
count rate is then taken.
How many radioactive atoms of the original type remain in the sample after the 26 minutes have
elapsed? Tick one box.
no atoms are left
the same as at the start
half the number at the start
twice the number at the start
[1]
[Total: 1]
23 Complete the table below for the three types of radiation.
radiation nature charge stopped by
electromagnetic
radiation
β negative
α thick paper
[3]
[Total: 3]
14
24 A sample of a radioactive material is placed near a radiation detector. A count-rate of 4800 counts / s
is detected from the sample. After 36 hours the count-rate has fallen to 600 counts / s.
Calculate how many more hours must pass for the count-rate to become 150 counts / s.
number of hours = .............................................. [3]
[Total: 3]
15
25 The figure shows a beam of radiation that contains α-particles, β-particles and -rays. The beam
enters a very strong electric field between charged plates in a vacuum.
plate at positive voltage
beam of radiation
plate at negative voltage
Indicate the deflection, if any, of the α-particles, β-particles and -rays, by placing one tick in each
column of the table.
possible deflection α-particles β-particles -rays
no deflection
towards positive plate
towards negative plate
out of the paper
into the paper
[3]
[Total: 3]
26 The figure shows a beam of radiation that contains α-particles, β-particles and -rays. The beam
enters a very strong electric field between charged plates in a vacuum.
plate at positive voltage
beam of radiation
plate at negative voltage
16
(a) The radiation is said to be ionising. Explain what this means.
...........................................................................................................................................
........................................................................................................................................... [1]
(b) α-particles are more strongly ionising and have a shorter range in air than γ-rays.
Use your knowledge of the nature of these radiations to explain these differences.
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........................................................................................................................................... [3]
[Total: 4]
27 A radiation detector is placed close to a source of -particles.
Aluminium sheets of increasing thickness are placed between the source and the detector.
source of
β-particles
aluminium sheet detector
Eventually a sheet which is 2.0 cm thick is used. The reading on the detector decreases, but does
not fall to zero.
Why does the reading not fall to zero?
A Some of the -particles go round the edges of the sheet.
B The detector is too close to the source.
C There is always some background radiation.
D The sheet can never be thick enough to absorb all the -particles.
[1]
[Total: 1]
17
28 The table shows the count rates obtained from four radioactive sources. The measurements were
taken at noon on four consecutive days.
Which source has the longest half-life?
count rate / counts per second
day 1 day 2 day 3 day 4
A 100 48 27 11
B 200 142 99 69
C 300 297 292 290
D 400 202 99 48
[1]
[Total: 1]
29 A detector detects radiation from radioactive sources.
A radioactive source is inside a thick aluminium container as shown.
radioactive source
2m
Geiger counter
thick aluminium container
Which type of radiation from this source is being detected?
A -particles
B -particles
C -rays
D radio waves
[1]
[Total: 1]
18
The diagram shows how the thickness of paper may be measured during manufacture. If the
sheet is too thick, fewer -particles reach the detector.
source of
rollers beta particles
paper pulp sheet
of paper
detector
30 A source of -particles is not used for this purpose because -particles would
A be stopped by the paper.
B be too dangerous to those working nearby.
C destroy the detector.
D set fire to the paper.
[1]
[Total: 1]
