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Radioactivity (A-level only)

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Question 23

Which of the following rows correctly pairs an observation made during this experiment with its valid deduction?

A
  • Observation: A very small fraction (approximately 1 in 800080008000) of alpha particles are deflected through angles greater than 90∘90^\circ90∘.
  • Deduction: The atom's positive charge and the vast majority of its mass are concentrated in a tiny volume compared to the size of the atom.
B
  • Observation: The majority of the alpha particles pass through the thin gold foil with no detectable deflection.
  • Deduction: The positive charge of the atom is distributed uniformly throughout a sphere of radius 10−10 m10^{-10}\text{ m}10−10 m.
C
  • Observation: The kinetic energy of the backscattered alpha particles is significantly greater than their incident kinetic energy.
  • Deduction: Energy is transferred from the vibrating gold nuclei to the alpha particles during collisions.
D
  • Observation: Alpha particles are deflected in a continuous distribution of angles, with none being deflected by exactly 180∘180^\circ180∘.
  • Deduction: The gold nucleus has a hollow spherical shell structure rather than a solid spherical structure.
Markscheme

Radioactivity (A-level only) Questions

  1. A Level
  2. /Physics
  3. /Radioactivity (A-level only)

128 exam-style questions on AQA A Level Physics Radioactivity (A-level only), covering Rutherford scattering (A-level only), $\alpha$ , $\beta$ and $\gamma$ radiation (A-level only), Radioactive decay (A-level only), Nuclear instability (A-level only), Nuclear radius (A-level only), Mass and energy (A-level only), Induced fission (A-level only), and Safety aspects (A-level only). Each one has a worked solution and a mark scheme showing where the marks go.

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