For each application of radioactive isotopes, state and explain which type of radioactive emission is suitable and suggest an appropriate half-life for the isotope.
A medical diagnostic tracer injected into a patient's body to monitor organ function
Monitoring the thickness of paper sheets produced in a mill
Carbon-12 (612C^{12}_{6}\text{C}612C) is a stable isotope of carbon. Explain why carbon-14 (614C^{14}_{6}\text{C}614C) is radioactive.
State two different natural sources of background radiation.
484 exam-style questions on CIE IGCSE Physics 5.2 Radioactivity, covering 5.2.1 Background radiation and measuring count rate, 5.2.2a Alpha, beta and gamma emission, 5.2.2b Deflection and ionising effects of nuclear radiation, 5.2.3a Radioactive decay, 5.2.3b Effects of decay on the nucleus and decay equations, 5.2.4a Half-life, 5.2.4b Choosing isotopes for applications, and 5.2.5 Effects of ionising radiation and safety precautions. Each one has a worked solution and a mark scheme showing where the marks go.