Carbon has three well-known isotopes: carbon-12, carbon-13, and carbon-14.
Carbon-12 is the most common stable isotope, with a proton number of 6 and a nucleon number of 12. Carbon-13 is another stable isotope with a nucleon number of 13. Carbon-14 is a radioactive isotope with a nucleon number of 14.
Complete the table below for neutral atoms of these isotopes.
| carbon-12 | carbon-13 | carbon-14 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| number of protons | |||
| number of neutrons | |||
| number of electrons |
Two samples of carbon-14 are tested with different shielding materials.
State the type of radiation emitted by carbon-14.
Explain your answer to (b)(i).
Under conditions of extremely high temperature and pressure, as in the core of stars, light nuclei can join together.
Name this process.
State whether energy is released, absorbed, or neither released nor absorbed during this reaction.
When a heavy nucleus, such as plutonium-239, is bombarded by a suitable neutron, it splits into two smaller nuclei and energy is released. Name this process.
170 exam-style questions on CIE IGCSE Physics 5.1.2a Composition of the nucleus and isotopes. Each one has a worked solution and a mark scheme showing where the marks go.