Nuclear and Particle Physics

Questions
Q1.

A nucleus of polonium-210 decays to lead-206 by emitting an alpha particle.

The masses of the particles are shown in the table.

(a)(i) Show that the energy released in the decay is about 9 × 10–13 J.
(3)
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(ii) 98% of the energy from the decay is released as kinetic energy of the alpha particle.
Calculate the velocity of the alpha particle immediately after the decay.
(2)
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Velocity of alpha particle = ...........................................................

(b) Explain why not all of the energy from the decay is released as kinetic energy of the alpha particle.
(2)
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 (Total for question = 7 marks)

Q2.

Actinium-225 is a radioactive isotope. It decays to francium by emitting alpha particles.

Actinium-225 has a short half-life, which makes it suitable for medical applications.

(a) Complete the nuclear equation for this decay.

(2)
(b) In a radioactive decay, energy is released and the total mass decreases.
Show that the energy released if the mass decreases by 1 u is about 930 MeV.
(4)
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(c) The francium nucleus and the alpha particle move away from each other after the decay.
Explain why the kinetic energy given to the alpha particle is just less than 5.9 MeV.
mass decrease for the decay = 6.35 × 10–3u
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(d) The activity of a sample of actinium-225 is 7.4 × 107 Bq when it is prepared.

 Calculate the number of actinium atoms in the sample 7.0 days later.
half-life of actinium-225 = 9.9 days
(4)
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Number of actinium atoms after 7.0 days = ...........................................................

(Total for question = 14 marks)

Q3.

Potassium chloride may be used to flavour food. Potassium chloride contains trace amounts of a
radioactive isotope of potassium (K). This decays into an isotope of calcium (Ca) by beta decay.

(a) (i) Complete the nuclear equation for this decay:

(2)
(ii) Calculate the energy, in MeV, released when a nucleus of potassium-40 decays into a nucleus of
calcium.

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Energy released = ........................................................... MeV

(iii) Explain why there is a range of energies for the beta particles emitted in the decay of a sample of
potassium-40.
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(b) A sample of potassium chloride initially contains 1.10 × 1022 atoms of potassium-40.
half-life of potassium-40 = 1.25 × 109 years
1 year = 3.15 × 107 s
(i) Show that the activity of this sample is about 1.9 × 105 Bq.
(3)
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(ii) It is claimed that after a period of 50 years, the activity of the sample would be less than the
activity of a typical
school source.
Assess the validity of this claim. Your answer should include a calculation.
activity of a school source = 1.85 × 105 Bq
(2)
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 (Total for question = 14 marks)

Q4.

Strontium-90 is commonly used in schools to demonstrate the properties of β particles.

The range of energies of β particles emitted from a source of strontium-90 is shown below.

When β particles travel through air they ionise air molecules, which limits how far they travel. The range of
the β particles depends upon their kinetic energy when released from the nucleus.

The graph below shows how the range of a β particle in air depends upon its kinetic energy.
It is estimated that the most energetic β particles from strontium-90 will ionise 250 nitrogen molecules per
cm of air that they pass through.

15.6 eV is required to ionise a nitrogen molecule.

Assess whether this estimate is consistent with the range of these β particles in air.

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(Total for question = 5 marks)

Q5.

In 2023, a small capsule of caesium-137 was lost when being transported from a mine in Western
Australia.

The activity of the caesium in the capsule was 19 GBq.

(a) (i) Show that the decay constant for caesium-137 is about 7.3 × 10–10 s–1.
half-life of caesium-137 = 30.1 years
1 year = 3.15 × 107 s
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(ii) Calculate the mass of caesium in the capsule.
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Mass of caesium = ...........................................................

(iii) Calculate the activity of the caesium in the capsule after 2 years.
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Activity after 2 years = ...........................................................

(b) The capsule was found after 14 days.

Calculate the total energy, in J, released from the capsule in 14 days.
activity of caesium in capsule = 19 GBq
energy released in each decay of caesium-137 = 1.17 MeV
1 day = 86 400 s
(3)
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Total energy released in 14 days = ........................................................... J

(Total for question = 10 marks)

Q6.
A nucleus of thorium-230 is unstable and decays to a nucleus of radium-226 by emitting an alpha particle.

The table shows the masses of the particles involved.

(a) Determine the energy, in J, released when a nucleus of thorium-230 emits an alpha particle.
(4)
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Energy released = ........................................................... J

(b) Determine the time taken, in years, for 90% of the thorium-230 in a sample to decay to radium-226.
half-life of thorium-230 = 75 400 years
(4)
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Time taken = ........................................................... years

(Total for question = 8 marks)