Skip to content

Course home

Sign up

5.2 Radioactivity

EasyMedium
123456789101112131415161718192021222324252627282930313233343536373839404142434445464748495051525354555657585960616263646566676869707172737475767778798081828384858687888990919293949596979899100101102103104105106107108109110111112113114115116117118119120121122123124125126127128
Question 106
a.

Cobalt-60 is a radioactive isotope that emits beta (β\betaβ) particles.

The nuclide notation for cobalt-60 is 2760Co^{60}_{27}\text{Co}2760​Co.

State the number of protons in one nucleus of cobalt-60.

[1]
b.

Determine the number of neutrons in one nucleus of cobalt-60.

[1]
c.

A sample containing 80 mg80\text{ mg}80 mg of cobalt-60 decays to 5.0 mg5.0\text{ mg}5.0 mg in 21.2 years21.2\text{ years}21.2 years.

Calculate the half-life of cobalt-60.

[2]
d.

Cosmic rays are one source of background radiation.

Name two other sources that make a significant contribution to background radiation.

[2]
Markscheme

5.2 Radioactivity Questions

  1. IGCSE
  2. /Physics
  3. /5.2 Radioactivity

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.

Question bank