Skip to content

Course home

Sign up

Radioactivity (A-level only)

EasyMedium
123456789101112131415161718192021222324252627282930313233343536373839
Question 26

During an investigation into the nuclear instability of a sample of bismuth-212 (212Bi^{212}\text{Bi}212Bi), a physicist subjects the sample to extreme physical conditions, including a temperature of 1.5 K and a pressure of 10 GPa10\text{ GPa}10 GPa.

The physicist records two key experimental observations:

  1. The decay rate of the sample remains completely unchanged despite these extreme external conditions.
  2. While the overall decay rate of the sample can be measured, it is impossible to predict which individual 212Bi^{212}\text{Bi}212Bi nucleus will decay next.

Which row in the table correctly identifies the physical terms used to describe Observation 1 and Observation 2?

A

| Random | Spontaneous |

B

| Spontaneous | Random |

C

| Spontaneous | Isotropic |

D

| Homogeneous | Random |

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.

Question bank