1 Fig. 11.1 shows a beam of radiation that contains α-particles, β-particles and γ-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
Fig. 11.1
(a) Indicate the deflection, if any, of the α-particles, β-particles and γ-rays, by placing one tick in
each column of the table.
possible deflection α-particles β-particles γ-rays
no deflection
towards positive plate
towards negative plate
out of the paper
into the paper
[3]
(b) The radiation is said to be ionising. Explain what this means.
...................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................[1]
(c) 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.
...................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................. [3]
[Total: 7]
PhysicsAndMathsTutor.com
2 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) Suggest what causes this count rate.
...............................................................................................................................................[1]
(b) 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.
...................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................[3]
(c) In a second experiment, α-particles pass between two parallel, horizontal metal plates in a
vacuum.
They then continue to the detector as shown in Fig. 9.1.
metal plate
_-particles
source detector
metal plate
Fig. 9.1
A positive charge is established on the upper plate and a negative charge on the lower plate.
(i) On Fig. 9.1, sketch the new path of the α-particles. [2]
(ii) State what happens to the count rate registered by the detector.
...........................................................................................................................................
.......................................................................................................................................[1]
[Total: 7]
PhysicsAndMathsTutor.com
3 (a) A technician sets up a radiation detector in a university laboratory for use in a class
experiment.
(i) A radioactive source that emits β-particles is placed on the laboratory bench, 10 cm from
the detector. A small count rate is registered.
1. State the name of the particle, found in an atom, that is identical to a β-particle.
............................................................................................................................... [1]
2. 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.
....................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................... [2]
(ii) 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 (i).
Explain why the count rate obtained is much lower.
...........................................................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................... [2]
(b) In another experiment, β-particles pass between two parallel, horizontal metal plates in a
vacuum. They then continue to the detector as shown in Fig. 10.1.
metal plate
`–particles
source detector
metal plate
Fig. 10.1
A very high p.d. is connected between the plates, with the lower plate positive.
[2]
On Fig. 10.1, sketch the new path of the β-particles.
[Total: 7]
PhysicsAndMathsTutor.com
4 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.
(a) Suggest one source of this background radiation.
...................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................[1]
(b) The radioactive source emits γ-rays. It is placed on the laboratory bench close to the detector.
(i) State what γ-rays are.
...........................................................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................................
.......................................................................................................................................[2]
(ii) 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.
...........................................................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................................
.......................................................................................................................................[2]
PhysicsAndMathsTutor.com
(c) In a second experiment, γ-rays pass through air to the detector, as shown in Fig. 10.1.
a-rays
detector
source
Fig. 10.1
One end of a bar magnet is brought close to the path of the γ-rays.
(i) Tick one box to indicate the effect on the path of the γ-rays. [1]
deflected into the page
deflected out of the page
deflected downwards
deflected upwards
no deflection
(ii) Explain your answer to (i).
...........................................................................................................................................
.......................................................................................................................................[1]
[Total: 7]
PhysicsAndMathsTutor.com
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.
...........................................................................................................................................
........................................................................................................................................... [2]
(b) Bismuth-214 decays by β-decay to an isotope of polonium, Po.
Complete the equation for the decay of bismuth-214.
214
83Bi
→ ...........
...........
β + ...........
...........
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.
count rate = ................................................................. [2]
(d) State two of the social, economic or environmental issues involved in the storage of radioactive
materials with very long half-lives.
...........................................................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................................
........................................................................................................................................... [2]
[Total: 9]
PhysicsAndMathsTutor.com
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.
[1]
(ii) State the sign of the charge on this core. ...................................................................... [1]
(iii) State what occupies the space between these charged cores.
[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 =
neutrons = [1]
[Total: 7]
PhysicsAndMathsTutor.com
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.
...............................................................................................................................................[1]
(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.
...........................................................................................................................................
.......................................................................................................................................[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.
...........................................................................................................................................
.......................................................................................................................................[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) Describe the relationship between the direction of the force and
1. the direction of the current,
................................................................................................................................[1]
2. the direction of the magnetic field.
................................................................................................................................[1]
PhysicsAndMathsTutor.com
(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
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]
PhysicsAndMathsTutor.com
4 (a) State, in terms of the particles in each nucleus, how the nuclei of two isotopes of the same
element are different.
...............................................................................................................................................[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
nucleon 211
number
210
209
208
79 80 81 82 83 84
proton number
Fig. 11.1
(i) On 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 21823 Bi is 60 minutes.
A sample of 21823 Bi is placed at a fixed distance from a detector. The initial measurement
of the count rate from the sample of 21823 Bi is 2400 counts per minute.
Calculate the count rate from the sample 5.0 hours later.
count-rate = ...........................................................[2]
[Total: 7]
PhysicsAndMathsTutor.com
131
1 (a) An iodine isotope 53 I decays by β-emission to an isotope of xenon (Xe).
131
(i) State the number of each type of particle in a neutral atom of 53 I.
protons ......................... neutrons ......................... electrons ......................... [2]
(ii) State the symbol, in nuclide notation, for the xenon nucleus.
.......................................................................................................................................[2]
(b) The background count rate of radioactivity in a laboratory is 30 counts / min.
A radioactive sample has a half-life of 50 minutes. The sample is placed at a fixed distance
from a detector. The detector measures an initial count rate from the sample, including
background, of 310 counts / min.
On Fig. 10.1, plot suitable points and draw a graph of the count rate from the sample,
corrected for background, as it changes with time.
300
corrected
count rate
counts / min
200
100
0
0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160
time / min
Fig. 10.1 [3]
[Total: 7]
PhysicsAndMathsTutor.com
