During a clinical study on targeted radiotherapy, medical physicists monitor the activity and nuclear interactions of various radioisotopes.
A hospital oncology department receives a therapeutic shipment containing 160 mg160\text{ mg}160 mg of Phosphorus-32. Phosphorus-32 has a half-life of 141414 days.
Explain what is meant by the term 'a half-life of 141414 days' in this context.
A hospital oncology department receives a therapeutic shipment containing 160 mg160\text{ mg}160 mg of Phosphorus-32. Phosphorus-32 has a half-life of 141414 days.
Calculate the mass of Phosphorus-32 that remains active after 707070 days.
The physicists also analyze two nuclear processes:
A Polonium-210 nucleus (84210Po{}^{210}_{84}\text{Po}84210Po) decays by emitting an alpha particle (24He{}^{4}_{2}\text{He}24He) to form a stable Lead nucleus (Pb\text{Pb}Pb). Complete the decay equation:
84210Po→……Pb+24He {}^{210}_{84}\text{Po} \to {}^{\dots}_{\dots}\text{Pb} + {}^{4}_{2}\text{He} 84210Po→……Pb+24HeThe physicists also analyze two nuclear processes:
An alpha particle (24He{}^{4}_{2}\text{He}24He) is fired at an Aluminium-27 nucleus (1327Al{}^{27}_{13}\text{Al}1327Al), which transmutes into a Phosphorus-30 nucleus (1530P{}^{30}_{15}\text{P}1530P) and releases a single particle Y\text{Y}Y. Complete the equation to find the mass number and atomic number of particle Y\text{Y}Y:
1327Al+24He→1530P+……Y {}^{27}_{13}\text{Al} + {}^{4}_{2}\text{He} \to {}^{30}_{15}\text{P} + {}^{\dots}_{\dots}\text{Y} 1327Al+24He→1530P+……Y41 exam-style questions on OCR GCSE Physics Radioactive emissions. Each one has a worked solution and a mark scheme showing where the marks go.