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GCSEPhysicsOCRPhysics A (Gateway)Exam Questions6. RadioactivityRadioactive Emissions

Radioactive Emissions (OCR GCSE Physics A (Gateway))

Exam Questions

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Radioactive Emissions

11 mark

Which statement about alpha particles is correct?

  • They are fast moving electrons.

  • They are less penetrating than beta particles.

  • They can pass through lead.

  • They have less mass than beta particles.

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21 mark

Which radioactive decay equation is correct?

  • straight C presubscript 6 presuperscript 14 space rightwards arrow Be presubscript 4 presuperscript 10 space plus space straight e presubscript negative 1 end presubscript presuperscript 0

  • straight C presubscript 6 presuperscript 14 space rightwards arrow Be presubscript 4 presuperscript 10 space plus space gamma presubscript 0 presuperscript 0

  • straight C presubscript 6 presuperscript 14 space rightwards arrow straight N presubscript 7 presuperscript 14 space plus space He presubscript 2 presuperscript 4

  • straight C presubscript 6 presuperscript 14 space rightwards arrow straight N presubscript 7 presuperscript 14 space plus space straight e presubscript negative 1 end presubscript presuperscript 0

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31 mark

Which statement is true about the nucleus of an atom?

  • It contains neutrons and ions and has a negative charge.

  • It contains neutrons and ions and has a neutral charge.

  • It contains neutrons and protons and has a neutral charge.

  • It contains neutrons and protons and has a positive charge.

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41 mark

Beta radiation is used to check the thickness of thin aluminium foil at a factory.

Why is beta radiation used?

  • All electromagnetic radiation is reflected by aluminium foil.

  • Beta radiation will not pass through aluminium foil.

  • Beta radiation will partially pass through aluminium foil.

  • Beta radiation is reflected by aluminium foil.

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51 mark

What is the number of neutrons in this isotope of uranium?

bold U presubscript bold 92 presuperscript bold 238

  • 92

  • 119

  • 146

  • 238

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61 mark

When an electron in an atom changes energy level, it emits electromagnetic radiation. Which row in the table is correct?

 

Energy level of the electron

Type of radiation emitted

A

Decreases

Almost any electromagnetic radiation.

B

Decreases

Visible light only.

C

Increases

Almost any electromagnetic radiation.

D

Increases

Visible light only.

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    71 mark

    Which statement is true for isotopes of the same element?

    Np = number of protons and Nn = number of neutrons.

    • Np = Nn

    • Np is the same but Nn is different

    • Np is always greater than Nn

    • The total (Np + Nn) is always the same

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    81 mark

    All radioactive sources have a half-life.

    Which statement about the half-life of a source is correct?

    • It is half the time for an atom to decay.

    • It is half the time for the activity of the source to decrease to zero.

    • It is half the time for the radioactive source to become safe.

    • It is the time for the activity of the source to decrease by half.

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    91 mark

    Which equation shows a correct alpha decay?

    • Am presubscript 95 presuperscript 241 rightwards arrow Np presubscript 91 presuperscript 239 space plus space He presubscript 4 presuperscript 2

    • Am presubscript 95 presuperscript 241 rightwards arrow Np presubscript 93 presuperscript 237 space plus space He presubscript 2 presuperscript 0

    • Am presubscript 95 presuperscript 241 rightwards arrow Np presubscript 93 presuperscript 237 space plus space He presubscript 2 presuperscript 4

    • Am presubscript 95 presuperscript 241 rightwards arrow Np presubscript 93 presuperscript 237 space plus space He presubscript 1 presuperscript 0

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    101 mark

    An element has more than one isotope.

    Which row correctly describes the atoms of all isotopes of this element?

     

    Numbers of electrons

    Numbers of protons

    Numbers of neutrons

    A

    different

    different

    different

    B

    same

    different

    different

    C

    same

    same

    different

    D

    same

    different

    same

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      111 mark

      Radium-226 is the most abundant isotope of radium.

      Its nuclear mass is 226 and its nucleus contains 138 neutrons.

      Which row is correct for another isotope of radium?

      • nuclear mass 226; 137 neutrons

      • nuclear mass 226; 139 neutrons

      • nuclear mass 227; 138 neutrons

      • nuclear mass 227; 139 neutrons

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      121 mark

      Radium-226, Ra presubscript 88 presuperscript 226 , decays to become radon-222, Rn presubscript 86 presuperscript 222.

      What is emitted when a nucleus of radium-226 decays?

      • A beta particle

      • An alpha particle

      • Four neutrons

      • Four protons

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      131 mark

      A radioactive source has a half-life of 80 s.

      How long will it take for 7 over 8 of the source to decay?

      • 10 s

      • 70 s

      • 240 s

      • 640 s

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      141 mark

      Higher Tier Only

       A teacher measures the radiation from a radioactive source for 10 days.

      q5-paper4-june2018-ocr-gcse-physics

      What is the half-life of this radioactive source?

      • 1 day

      • 2 days

      • 4 days

      • 5 days

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      151 mark

      An alpha particle collides with an atom to produce a positive ion.

      What happens to the atom for it to become a positive ion?

      • It loses an electron from inside the nucleus.

      • It loses an electron from outside the nucleus.

      • It loses a neutron from inside the nucleus.

      • It loses a proton from outside the nucleus.

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