PAPER 2 THEORY QUESTIONS

1 Fig. 1.1 illustrates nuclear fission of Uranium-235 in a nuclear reactor.

Fig. 1.1

(a) (i) Describe the process illustrated in Fig. 1.1.

(ii) Describe how the process of nuclear fusion differs from the process of nuclear fission as
illustrated above.


...[5]

(b) The waste products from a nuclear reactor contain isotopes such as Iodine-131 and
Caesium-137. These waste products are highly radioactive and dangerous. They are stored
in sealed metal cans which are placed under water from few months.
(i) Explain how these isotopes were produced.


(ii) Explain what is meant by term radioactive.

(iii) Give reason why metal cans are used and a reason why they are placed under water.

2 A smoke detector contains a radioactive source that emits -particles.

Fig. 2.1

MS / Sh.M / FT 12 / Gr 10/ Physics / Theory questions / The nuclear atom & radioactivity 1
 Fig.2.1 shows the structure of a simple smoke detector. The -particles ionise the air between
the plates. Positive and negative ions are created in the air and, as a result, a current is
produced in the circuit. When smoke is present, the current is decreases.
(a) State the nature of -particle.
.
...[1]
(b) Explain why the source emits -particles is not used in this detector.
.
...[1]

(c) The radioactive source that emits -particles contains Americium-241.

A nucleus of Americium-241 is represented as
Describe the structure of atom of Americium-241.
.
.....
.
...[3]

14
3 (a) C is a radioactive isotope of carbon which decays by beta particle emission with a half- life
of 6000 years.
(i) What is a beta particle?

14
(ii) A radioactive sample contains 5000 atoms of C.
14
On the axes below, plot the graph of the number of C atoms in the sample over the
next 18 000 years. [3]

MS / Sh.M / FT 12 / Gr 10/ Physics / Theory questions / The nuclear atom & radioactivity 2
 (b) A radioactive source emits beta particles and gamma rays. Fig.3.1. shows how the two types
of radiation are deflected when travelling in a vacuum through a uniform magnetic field is
applied at right angles to the plane of the paper.

Fig. 3.1
(i) Explain why the gamma rays are not deflected.

(ii) Explain why the beta particles are deflected.

.. [2]

4 A radioactive source and a radioactive detector are used to check the level of fruit juice in a
carton. Carton of fruit juice pass between the detector and the radioactive source, as shown in
Fig. 4.1. The radioactive source emits -particles.

Fig. 4.1
(a) State the name of suitable detector of the -particles.
[1]
(b) What is -particles?
[1]
(c) Explain why the level of detected radiation falls when full carton of juice goes past the
detector.
.
...[1]
(d) Explain.
(i) Why a source emitting -particles is not used.

(ii) Why a source emitting -rays is not used.

[2]
MS / Sh.M / FT 12 / Gr 10/ Physics / Theory questions / The nuclear atom & radioactivity 3
5 The pie chart in Fig.5.1 shows the relative contributions made by different sources to
background radiation.

Fig. 5.1
(a) Which source makes the greatest contribution to the background radiation?
...[1]

(b) State one effect of background radiation.

...[1]

(c) Where do cosmic rays come from?

...[1]

(d) The nucleon number (mass number) of is 220.

Define nucleon number.
.
...[1]

(e) Radon decays by the emission of an alpha-particle.

State the proton number (atomic number) and the nucleon number (mass number) of
the nucleus left after an alpha-particle is emitted from this nucleus.
proton number ..
nucleon number ..[2]

6 A doctor uses a radioactive isotope, iodine-131, to find the volume of blood in a patients body.
Information about iodine-131 is given in Fig. 6.1.

Fig. 6.1
(a) (i) Describe the structure of an atom of iodine-131.

(ii) The radioactive decay equation below shows an iodine-131 nucleus decaying into a
xenon nucleus (Xe). Copy the equation and insert the proton number and the nucleon
number of the xenon nucleus.
[5]

MS / Sh.M / FT 12 / Gr 10/ Physics / Theory questions / The nuclear atom & radioactivity 4
 (b) Describe the differences between beta-particles and gamma-rays.
.
.....

.
...[3]

(c) The doctor uses a sample of iodine-131 that initially produces a count rate of 144 000 per
second.
The whole sample is injected into the patients arm. Nine small samples of blood, each of
volume 2.0 cm3, are taken from the other arm at 2 minute intervals.
Fig. 6.2 shows the count rates from the nine samples.

Fig. 6.2

(i) State two reasons why different count rates are obtained from the nine samples.


(ii) Calculate the average value of the count rates from the last four samples.
This is the average count rate from a volume of 2.0 cm3 of blood.

(iii) Using your answer to (ii), determine the volume of blood in the patients body, which
has a total count rate of 144 000 per second.

(iv) Sample number 9 is kept.

The count rate is measured again after 16 days.
Estimate the value obtained, given that the half-life of iodine-131 is 8.0 days. [6]

(d) Describe one precaution that the doctor must take when handling this radioactive source.
.
...[1]

MS / Sh.M / FT 12 / Gr 10/ Physics / Theory questions / The nuclear atom & radioactivity 5
7 (a) Some atoms that undergo radioactive decay have a half-life of 6 hours. The count rate near
a sample of these atoms is initially 838 counts / minute. Background radiation near the
sample is 18 counts / minute.
(i) Describe the structure of an atom. It may help to draw a diagram.


...[3]

(ii) Explain what is meant by radioactive decay. State clearly which part of the atom decays.


...[3]

(iii) State what is meant by background radiation.

...[1]

(iv) The equipment is left undisturbed for 12 hours. Calculate the count rate due to the
sample of atoms alone after this time. [2]

(b) The table shows a radioactive series. Atom A emits a beta-particle and becomes atom B.
Atom B then emits a particle to become atom C.

(i) Calculate the proton number X of atom B and explain how you calculated it.

...[2]

(ii) State the name of radiation Y and describe the changes that occur in the atom when this
radiation is emitted.


...[3]
MS / Sh.M / FT 12 / Gr 10/ Physics / Theory questions / The nuclear atom & radioactivity 6
 (iii) Using information from the table, explain why atoms A and C are not isotopes of the
same element.

...[1]

8 Fig. 8.1 is a half-scale diagram of a radioactive source stored in a safe way.

(a) The source emits alpha-particles, beta-particles and gamma-rays.

A teacher handles the box. Explain how the teacher is completely protected from the
alpha- and beta-particles but only partially protected from the gamma-rays.
.

.....
[2]

(b) Describe and explain how the teacher should remove the source from the box safely.
.
.....
[2]

(c) The source is brought near a radiation detector.

(i) Name a suitable detector.
............................................................................................................................ [1]

(ii) Describe how you would use the detector to show that the source emits particles
at random.


...[2]

MS / Sh.M / FT 12 / Gr 10/ Physics / Theory questions / The nuclear atom & radioactivity 7
9 Stars that are being formed emit infra-red radiation. Some of this radiation is received by a
telescope that orbits the Earth. Microwave signals from the telescope are sent to the Earths
surface, as shown in Fig. 10.1.

Fig. 9.1

(b) As clouds of gas and dust come together to form a star, there is an energy change similar to
the energy change as a ball falls to the ground.
The temperature in the clouds of dust and gas becomes so high that nuclear fusion occurs.
3
In one such reaction, two isotopes of hydrogen, 21H and 1H, fuse together.
(i) Explain why the gas and dust come together.

[1]

(ii) State the energy change that causes the rise in temperature as the gas and dust come
together.

[2]

(iii) Explain why high temperatures are needed for nuclear fusion to occur.

[2]

(iv) Describe the structure of a nucleus of 31H.

...[2]
(v) State which element is created by the fusion of two hydrogen nuclei.
[1]

(vi) State one effect of nuclear fusion on a star.

[1]

MS / Sh.M / FT 12 / Gr 10/ Physics / Theory questions / The nuclear atom & radioactivity 8
10 (a) Explain how it is possible for an element to have different isotopes.
.
.....
[1]

(b) State what is meant by the half-life of a radioactive isotope.

.....
[2]

(c) Fig. 10.1 shows how the number of atoms of a radioactive isotope changes with time.

Fig. 10.1
Determine the half-life of the radioactive isotope. On Fig. 10.1, show how you obtained
your result.

half-life = ................................................ [2]

11 The reaction that takes place at the centre of the Sun can be represented as

(a) State the name of this type of reaction.

[1]

(b) The speed of light is 3.0 108 m / s.

(i) The mass of the helium nucleus produced is different from the total mass of
29
the two protons and the two neutrons. The difference is 6.6 10 kg.
Explain why energy is released during the reaction.


...[2]
(ii) Calculate the energy released in this reaction. State the formula used.

energy = ................................................. [3]

MS / Sh.M / FT 12 / Gr 10/ Physics / Theory questions / The nuclear atom & radioactivity 9
12 (a) State the number of
(i) electrons in a neutral atom of the isotope

number of electrons = .................................................. [1]

(ii) nucleons in an atom of the isotope

number of nucleons = .................................................. [1]

(iii) protons in an atom of the isotope

number of protons = .................................................. [1]

(b) An atom of the isotope chlorine-35 contains 17 protons.

For an atom of the isotope chlorine-37, state the number of
(i) protons,
number of protons = .................................................. [1]

(ii) neutrons.
number of neutrons = .................................................. [1]

13 The symbol represents a nucleus of uranium with nucleon number (mass number) 238
and proton number (atomic number) 92.
(a) State the meaning of nucleon number.
.....
[2]

(b) A nucleus of uranium-238 decays to form a nucleus of thorium by the emission of an alpha-
particle.
State

(i) the proton number of an alpha-particle,

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

(ii) the nucleon number of an alpha-particle,

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

(iii) the proton number of thorium,

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

(iv) the nucleon number of the thorium isotope formed.

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

MS / Sh.M / FT 12 / Gr 10/ Physics / Theory questions / The nuclear atom & radioactivity 10
14 Hydrogen nuclei fuse together in the Sun. The nucleus of one isotope of hydrogen contains
one proton and has the nuclide notation . Other isotopes of hydrogen have the nuclide
notations and

(a) State the number of protons and the number of neutrons in a nucleus of each of the two
other isotopes of hydrogen.




(b) Nuclei may fuse when they come together.
(i) Explain why nuclei do not easily come together.
.
.....
[2]

(ii) Explain why nuclei are able to come together in the centre of the Sun.
.
.....
[2]

15 (a) A scientist has three radioactive sources. The first source emits only alpha-particles, the
second source emits only beta-particles and the third source emits only gamma-rays.

(i) Explain how the scientist demonstrates that the three types of radiation have different
penetrating powers.
In your account
draw a diagram of the apparatus used,
state what materials are used to show the different penetrating powers,
explain how the apparatus is used.

.. [5]

MS / Sh.M / FT 12 / Gr 10/ Physics / Theory questions / The nuclear atom & radioactivity 11
 (ii) State two different safety precautions the scientist must follow when handling the
radioactive sources.

.. [2]
(iii) Explain why the half-lives of the radioactive sources used in the demonstration should
be greater than 1 second.

.. [2]

(b) Fig. 15.1 shows radiation moving into the magnetic field between the poles of a strong
magnet.

Fig. 15.1
The radioactive source emits alpha-particles, beta-particles and gamma-rays. For each type
of radiation, describe the path taken by the radiation.
You may draw a diagram to help your explanation.

.
.....
.
. [3]

(c) Fig. 15.2 represents three different nuclei.

Fig. 15.2
State and explain which nuclei are from different isotopes of the same element.
.....
.
. [3]

MS / Sh.M / FT 12 / Gr 10/ Physics / Theory questions / The nuclear atom & radioactivity 12
16 Table 16.1 gives details about some radioactive isotopes.

Fig. 16.1

(a) (i) Uranium-235 has a proton number (atomic number) of 92 and a nucleon number (mass
number) of 235.
Describe the structure of an atom of Uranium-235.


.. [4]
(ii) Uranium-235 and Uranium-238 are isotopes.
Explain what is meant by this statement.

.. [4]
(iii) Uranium-235 can be involved in nuclear fission.
Describe what happens to a nucleus in nuclear fission.


.. [3]
(iv) When the Earth was formed there was about 64 times more Uranium-235 present than
there is now. Use this information to estimate the age of the Earth. [3]

(b) Radioactive sources are used to detect leaks from pipes underground.
A liquid containing the source is placed in the pipe. Some liquid leaks from the pipe and the
radiation it emits can be detected above ground.
(i) State the most suitable radioactive isotope in Table 16.1 for this purpose.
.. [1]

(ii) Explain why the half-life of the isotope you have chosen and the radiation it emits are
suitable for this purpose.


.. [3]

MS / Sh.M / FT 12 / Gr 10/ Physics / Theory questions / The nuclear atom & radioactivity 13
17 A radioactive rock emits gamma-rays. A teacher plans an experiment to show a class that
the emission of gamma-rays from the rock is random in time.
(a) (i) State the apparatus that the teacher needs to detect the gamma-rays.
.. [3]

(ii) State one safety precaution that the teacher must take.
.. [3]

(iii) Describe how the experiment is performed.

.. [2]

(b) Describe what is meant by a gamma-ray.

.
. [2]

18 The apparatus in Fig.18.1 was set up to determine the type of radioactive emission from a source
of cobalt . Source emits beta-particle only.

Fig.18.1

By using the apparatus shown in Fig.18.1 explain how you could demonstrate that the
source emits only beta-particles but not alpha particles.
.
.....
.
.....
.
.....
.
.....
.
[3]

MS / Sh.M / FT 12 / Gr 10/ Physics / Theory questions / The nuclear atom & radioactivity 14
19 (a) Explain what is meant by background radiation.
.
[2]

(b) Describe how one human activity has led to an increase in background radiation.
.....
.
[2]

20 Explain, in outline, how a low-density cloud of hydrogen in space becomes a star.

..

..

..

.. [4]

21 Fig. 21.1 illustrates the process that occurs in the core of a nuclear reactor.

Fig. 21.1

(a) State the name of the process illustrated in Fig. 8.1.

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

(b) Describe what happens during this process.

.....
.
[2]

MS / Sh.M / FT 12 / Gr 10/ Physics / Theory questions / The nuclear atom & radioactivity 15
 (c) Some of the waste from a nuclear reactor is radioactive with a long half-life.
Explain what is meant by
(i) radioactive,

.. [1]

(ii) a long half-life.

.. [2]

22 Fig. 22.1 illustrates a neutron hitting a uranium-235 nucleus.

Fig. 22.1

The uranium-235 nucleus splits into a nucleus of barium (Ba) and a nucleus of krypton (Kr) and
three neutrons are released.

(a) State the name of this process.

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

(b) This process may be represented by a nuclear equation. An incomplete version of this
equation is shown below.

(i) Calculate
1. the number of neutrons in a nucleus of uranium-235,

number of neutrons = ...........................................................[1]

2. the proton number (atomic number) of krypton,

proton number = ...........................................................[1]

3. the nucleon number (mass number) of the barium nucleus.

nucleon number = ...........................................................[1]

MS / Sh.M / FT 12 / Gr 10/ Physics / Theory questions / The nuclear atom & radioactivity 16
 (ii) During this process, there is a decrease in mass. Energy is released. The decrease in
mass is 3.1 1028 kg and the speed of light is 3.0 108 m / s.
Calculate the energy released in this process.

energy = ...........................................................[3]

(c) A nuclear power station generates electrical energy. In the power station, steam is used to
drive a turbine. Describe how the splitting of uranium-235 is used to produce the steam. You
may include a block diagram.

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

(d) Some of the waste products from a nuclear power station are radioactive and have very long
half-lives.

(i) State the meaning of half-life.

.. [2]

(ii) Describe one safety precaution that is taken when radioactive waste products are
handled.

.. [1]

MS / Sh.M / FT 12 / Gr 10/ Physics / Theory questions / The nuclear atom & radioactivity 17