11 mark
Carbon-14 is a radioactive isotope of carbon.
It has the symbol
The number of nucleons in a carbon-14 nucleus is
6
8
14
20
Did this page help you?
Properties of Radiation (Edexcel IGCSE Physics: Double Science)
Exam Questions
2 hours27 questions
21 mark
When carbon-14 decays it emits a beta particle.
What is a beta particle?
An electron
A neutron
A nucleus
A proton
Did this page help you?
31 mark
Which of these is the same as an electron?
Alpha particle
Beta particle
Gamma ray
X-ray
Did this page help you?
4a2 marks
Sodium-24 is a radioactive isotope.
What are isotopes?
4b4 marks
Sodium-24 decays by emitting beta particles.
(i)
Describe the nature of a beta particle.
(1)
(ii)
Name a piece of equipment that can be used to detect beta particles.
(1)
(iii)
Describe how a detector can be used with sheets of lead, aluminium and paper to show that a sample of sodium-24 emits beta particles.
(2)
Did this page help you?
5a3 marks
Scientists use the term radiation in different ways.
Sometimes radiation means streams of particles and sometimes radiation means high frequency waves.
Draw a straight line from each description to the type of radiation it describes.
5b1 mark
People who work with ionising radiation need to measure the amount of radiation they are exposed to. For many years, a film badge was used to detect the radiation.
State the name of another device that can be used to detect alpha radiation.
Did this page help you?
62 marks
The radioactive nuclei in a source emit beta radiation.
What effect does the emission of a beta particle have on a nucleus?
Did this page help you?
7a2 marks
There are different types of ionising radiation.
Complete the table to show the properties of each type.
7b1 mark
A radioactive source contains strontium-90.
A strontium-90 nucleus emits a beta particle.
Complete the equation to show how strontium-90 decays.
Did this page help you?
1a1 mark
Radon is a gas produced by some types of rocks.
Radon is a natural source of radioactivity.
What is the name for this radioactivity?
Chain reaction
Background radiation
Radioactive dating
Radiotherapy
1b1 mark
Radon-222 and radon-220 are both isotopes of radon. A nucleus of radon-222 has 86 protons.
How many protons are there in a nucleus of radon-220?
86
less than 86
more than 86
none
1c1 mark
Radon-222 and radon-220 are both isotopes of radon. A nucleus of radon-222 has 136 neutrons.
How many neutrons are there in a nucleus of radon-220?
86
134
136
220
Did this page help you?
21 mark
Vanadium-50 is an isotope of vanadium.
It has the symbol 
The number of neutrons in a vanadium-50 nucleus is
23
27
33
50
Did this page help you?
3a1 mark
Which of these particles has the largest mass?
Alpha particle
Beta particle
Neutron
Proton
3b1 mark
Which of these particles has the largest charge?
Alpha particle
Beta particle
Neutron
Proton
3c1 mark
The maximum range of a beta particle in air is about
50 mm
50 cm
50 m
50 km
3d1 mark
When a nucleus emits a beta particle
The nucleon number decreases by 1
The nucleon number increases by 1
The proton number decreases by 1
The proton number increases by 1
Did this page help you?
41 mark
When an unstable nucleus emits an alpha particle, its atomic (proton) number
Increases by 1
Stays the same
Decreases by 2
Decreases by 4
Did this page help you?
51 mark
Which of these has a mass (nucleon) number of 4?
Alpha particle
Beta particle
Gamma ray
X-ray
Did this page help you?
61 mark
Which of these is the most ionising?
Alpha particle
Beta particle
Gamma ray
X-ray
Did this page help you?
71 mark
When an unstable nucleus emits an alpha particle, its mass (nucleon) number
Increases by 1
Stays the same
Decreases by 2
Decreases by 4
Did this page help you?
8a1 mark
lodine-131 is a radioactive isotope that emits beta particles.
The equation for this decay is
The mass (nucleon) number for Xe is
−1
0
53
131
8b1 mark
The atomic (proton) number for iodine-131 is
0
53
78
131
Did this page help you?
91 mark
Which of these describes what happens to the strontium-90 nucleus when it emits a beta particle?
The number of protons stays the same
The number of protons increases
The number of neutrons stays the same
The number of neutrons increases
Did this page help you?
10a6 marks
Tritium is an isotope of hydrogen that decays by emitting beta particles. It is used in some luminous signs.
The symbol for tritium is 
.
(i)
Determine the number of protons and the number of neutrons in a single atom of tritium.
(2)
(ii)
Describe three differences between an alpha particle and a beta particle.
(3)
(iii)
Suggest why tritium cannot emit alpha particles.
(1)
10b2 marks
Tritium is used in this luminous sign.
In this sign
- The letters are made up of glass tubes containing tritium gas
- The inside of each tube is coated with a phosphor
- The phosphor emits light when beta particles hit it
Suggest why this sign is safe to use even though beta particles are ionising and can be dangerous.
Did this page help you?
11a2 marks
A teacher uses this apparatus to demonstrate radioactivity to his students.
The teacher needs to take some safety precautions.
Put one tick (✓) on each row to show whether the safety precaution is needed or not. Two have been done for you.
11b3 marks
The teacher uses this method to investigate radioactivity.
- Place the detector 10 cm from the radioactive source
- Record the count with different absorbent materials between the source and the detector
- Repeat the investigation using a different radioactive source
- Also repeat the investigation without a source
The table shows his results.
(i)
State why the teacher keeps the distance constant between the source and the detector.
(1)
(ii)
Explain why there is a reading when no source is used.
(2)
11c6 marks
(i)
Explain which of the materials the teacher used is the best absorber of radiation.
(3)
(ii)
A student makes this conclusion.
'Stone is the worst absorber of radiation.'
Evaluate this conclusion
(3)
Did this page help you?
12a3 marks
The table describes the nuclei of four atoms.
(i)
Which two nuclei have the same number of protons?
(1)
(ii)
Which two nuclei have the same number of nucleons?
(1)
(iii)
Which two nuclei have the same number of neutrons?
(1)
12b3 marks
All of the nuclei are unstable and have a different half-life.
(i)
Explain what is meant by the term unstable.
(1)
(ii)
Explain what is meant by the term half-life
(2)
12c5 marks
When plutonium decays, it emits an alpha particle and a gamma ray.
(i)
Complete the decay equation for plutonium-238.
(4)
(ii)
Use information from the table in part (a) to identify element X.
(1)
12d3 marks
The nucleus of americium-238 can absorb an electron. When this happens, one of the protons in the nucleus becomes a neutron.
This equation describes the process.
(i)
Describe how this process affects the proton number and the nucleon number of the nucleus that absorbs the electron.
(2)
(ii)
Identify the new nucleus formed by this process.
(1)
Did this page help you?
135 marks
The table shows the nature of alpha and beta particles.
Explain why alpha particles and beta particles have different penetrating powers.
Did this page help you?
11 mark
A doctor uses gamma radiation to produce an image of a person's brain.
A radioactive isotope called technetium-99m is used in this process.
Technetium-99m emits gamma rays and has a short half-life.
Gamma radiation consists of
Electromagnetic waves
Negatively charged particles
Positively charged particles
Unstable atoms
Did this page help you?
21 mark
The table describes the nuclei of four atoms.
Atoms contain electrons.
Which nucleus needs the largest number of electrons to form a neutral atom?
Uranium-234
Uranium-235
Plutonium-238
Americium-238
Did this page help you?
31 mark
Tellurium-120 is an isotope of tellurium.
It has the symbol 
The number of protons, neutrons and electrons in a neutral tellurium-120 atom is
p = 120
n = 52
e = 120
p = 120
n = 68
e = 68
p = 52
n = 120
e = 120
p = 52
n = 68
e = 52
Did this page help you?
41 mark
Compared to a beta particle, an alpha particle
Causes less ionisation
Has less charge
Has less mass
Has less penetrating power
Did this page help you?
5a3 marks
The grid shows the number of neutrons and the number of protons in some isotopes formed during successive radioactive decays.
(i)
What are isotopes?
(2)
ii)
Why are some isotopes described as stable?
(1)
5b4 marks
(i)
Use the grid in part (a) to calculate the number of neutrons in a 
nucleus.
nucleus.(1)
(ii)
Describe what happens to the number of protons and the number of neutrons when a nucleus of 
decays to form 
.
decays to form .(2)
(iii)
State the type of decay that occurs when decays to form .
decays to form .(1)
5c2 marks
Explain why the mass (nucleon) number and the atomic (proton) number do not change when a gamma ray is emitted from a nucleus.
Did this page help you?
6a2 marks
Alpha particles, beta particles and gamma rays have different properties.
Complete the table by ticking the correct type of radiation for each property. The first one has been done for you.
6b3 marks
The symbol for the structure of an alpha particle is
(i)
State the number of neutrons and the number of protons in an alpha particle.
(2)
(ii)
Suggest why alpha radiation is more ionising than beta or gamma radiation.
(1)
Did this page help you?
74 marks
Scientists use deflection in an electric field to help distinguish between different types of radiation.
The diagram shows a beam containing several types of radiation. This beam travels in a vacuum between two charged plates.
Some of the radiation is deflected upwards, some is deflected downwards, and some are not deflected at all.
Put one tick in each row to show the correct deflection for each type of radiation.
One has been done for you.
Did this page help you?