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5.2.3a Radioactive decay

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Question 23

A radioactive source is tested over a period of 20 hours with a radiation detector. The measurements are recorded in the table below:

Time / hours02468101214161820
Detector reading / (counts/s)17595553525201416151317
a.

Use the readings to:

  1. Suggest a value for the background count rate during the test.
  2. Determine the half-life of the sample.
[5]
b.

Carbon-14 has six protons and eight neutrons, giving it a nucleon number of 14. It decays by emitting a β\betaβ-particle. Complete the following nuclide equation to show this decay, where X\text{X}X represents the newly formed nuclide:

……C→……β+……X {}^{\dots}_{\dots}\text{C} \rightarrow {}^{\dots}_{\dots}\beta + {}^{\dots}_{\dots}\text{X} ……​C→……​β+……​X
[3]
c.

Three α\alphaα-particles are directed towards a thin gold foil containing gold nuclei:

  1. Particle 1 is on a direct head-on path toward the center of a gold nucleus.
  2. Particle 2 is traveling on a path that passes close to the side of a gold nucleus.
  3. Particle 3 is traveling on a path that is far from any gold nuclei.

Describe the path of each of these three α\alphaα-particles during and after their interaction with the gold foil.

[3]
Markscheme

5.2.3a Radioactive decay Questions

  1. IGCSE
  2. /Physics
  3. /5.2.3a Radioactive decay

120 exam-style questions on CIE IGCSE Physics 5.2.3a Radioactive decay. Each one has a worked solution and a mark scheme showing where the marks go.

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