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9 (a) Radioactive isotopes that emit ionising radiation are used in hospitals.

(i) State and explain two safety precautions necessary for the use of these isotopes in
medical procedures.

safety procedure 1 ............................................................................................................

explanation ........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................
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safety procedure 2 ............................................................................................................

explanation ........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................
[2]

(ii) Give two reasons why alpha‑emitters are not used as radioactive tracers inside the body.

1 ........................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................
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2 ........................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................
[2]

(b) Sodium‑24 is an isotope of sodium (Na) that has a proton number of 11 and a nucleon number
of 24.

Sodium‑24 decays by emission of a beta‑particle to form an isotope of magnesium (Mg).

Use nuclide notation to write down the nuclide equation for this decay.
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[3]

[Total: 7]
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8 An isotope of boron is used in the treatment of cancer in the brain.

Boron sticks to cancer cells in the brain.

(a) The isotope of boron is bombarded with neutrons then undergoes fission to form lithium and
alpha‑particles.

(i) Describe one difference between fission and fusion.

...........................................................................................................................................
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..................................................................................................................................... [1]

(ii) A nucleus of boron (B) contains 5 protons and 5 neutrons. Complete the nuclide equation
for this fission reaction.

......... ......... .........

.........
B + 10 n .........
Li + .........
α
[3]

(b) The alpha‑particles destroy the cancer cells. Suggest and explain one reason why alpha
particles are more suitable than gamma radiation for use in this treatment of brain cancer.
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...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

............................................................................................................................................. [2]

(c) Other cancers are treated with gamma radiation. Describe one safety precaution a nurse or
radiologist takes during this treatment.

...................................................................................................................................................

............................................................................................................................................. [1]
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[Total: 7]
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9 (a) Table 9.1 shows some properties and values for α-particles, β-particles and γ-radiation.

Complete Table 9.1.

Table 9.1

type of number of number of charge / C stopped by

radiation protons neutrons
α 2 + 3.2 × 10–19 thin sheet of
paper
β 0 thin sheet of
aluminium
γ 0

[3]

(b) State how β-decay changes the nucleus of an atom.

............................................................................................................................................. [1]

(c) A radiation detector used in a laboratory detects a background count rate of 30 counts / min.
A radioactive source is placed in front of the radiation detector. The initial reading on the
detector is 550 counts / min. The half-life of the source is 25 minutes.

Calculate the expected reading on the detector after 75 minutes.

reading = ...................................... counts / min [4]

(d) State two safety precautions taken when moving, using or storing radioactive sources in a
laboratory.

1 ................................................................................................................................................

2 ................................................................................................................................................
[2]

[Total: 10]

© UCLES 2023 0625/42/M/J/23

 10

8 (a) During β-decay, one of the neutrons in the nucleus changes.

(i) State what happens to this neutron.

..................................................................................................................................... [1]

(ii) Explain how charge is conserved during this change.

...........................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................................... [2]

(b) Complete the nuclide equation for the α-decay of radon-212 to form an isotope of polonium,
symbol Po.

212
86
Rn

[3]

[Total: 6]

© UCLES 2023 0625/43/M/J/23

 14

9 Many household smoke alarms contain a sample of the radioactive isotope americium-241 (Am).

(a) Americium-241 is the isotope of the element americium that has the nucleon number (mass
number) 241.

(i) State how the composition of a nucleus of americium-241 differs from that of a nucleus
of americium-242.

...........................................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................................... [1]

(ii) An atom of a different element has a nucleon number of 241.

State two differences between the composition of a nucleus of this atom and a nucleus
of americium-241.

1 ........................................................................................................................................

2 ........................................................................................................................................
[2]

(b) Americium-241 decays to an isotope of neptunium (Np) by alpha-particle (α-particle) emission.

(i) Complete the equation for this decay.

241 ..... .....
.....
Am 93
Np + .....
α
[3]

(ii) One reason for using an isotope that emits α-particles in a smoke detector is that
α-particles are more strongly ionising than beta-particles (β-particles).

Explain why α-particles are more strongly ionising than β-particles.

...........................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................................... [2]

(iii) The isotope of neptunium produced by americium-241 is also radioactive.

The decay of this isotope of neptunium produces an isotope of protactinium which

decays by β-emission. β-particles are more penetrating than α-particles.

The half-life of neptunium is longer than two million years.

Using this information, explain the advantage of this long half-life for the use and safe
disposal of a household smoke alarm.

...........................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................................... [2]

[Total: 10]

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 14

8 The isotope uranium-235 is represented by

235
92 U.

(a) State what the numbers 92 and 235 represent in this symbol.

92 is ..........................................................................................................................................

235 is ........................................................................................................................................
[2]

(b) Uranium-235 is a fuel used in nuclear reactors.

(i) State the process by which energy is released from uranium-235 in a nuclear reactor.

..................................................................................................................................... [1]

(ii) A nuclide equation for this process is

235 1 140 94 1
92 U + 0n 54 Xe + 38 Sr + 2 0 n.

Describe the mass and energy changes that take place during this process in a nuclear
reactor.

...........................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................................... [2]

(c) (i) Describe how thermal energy from nuclear reactions is used to generate electricity in a
power station.

...........................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................................... [3]

(ii) State one advantage and one disadvantage of using nuclear fuels in a power station
instead of using fossil fuels.

advantage .........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

disadvantage .....................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................
[2]

[Total: 10]

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 14

9 (a) For each application of radioactive isotopes, state and explain which type of radioactive
emission is suitable and suggest an appropriate half-life for the isotope.

(i) household smoke alarm

type of radioactive emission ..............................................................................................

explanation ........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

half-life ...............................................................................................................................
[3]

(ii) measuring the thickness of aluminium strips produced in a factory

type of radioactive emission ..............................................................................................

explanation ........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

half-life ...............................................................................................................................
[3]

(b) Lead-208 (208

82Pb) has the highest nucleon number of the stable isotopes of lead.

Explain why lead-214 (214

82Pb) is radioactive.

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

............................................................................................................................................. [2]

(c) State two different sources of background radiation.

1 ................................................................................................................................................

2 ................................................................................................................................................
[2]

[Total: 10]

© UCLES 2023 0625/43/O/N/23