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International A LevelPhysicsEdexcelExam Questions4. Further Mechanics, Fields & ParticlesExploring the Structure of Matter

Exploring the Structure of Matter (Edexcel International A Level Physics)

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Exploring the Structure of Matter

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1a
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The alpha particle scattering experiments using gold foil were first carried out by a team of scientists led by Rutherford.

Following these experiments Rutherford said 

“It was almost as incredible as if you fired a 15‐inch shell (large missile) at a piece of tissue paper and it came back and hit you.” 

Explain why Rutherford was surprised at the results of the experiment and how this led to the nuclear model for the atom.

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1b
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Explain why the thickness of the gold foil had to be very small.

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2a
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The diagram shows particle tracks in a detector.

A positive pion decays into an anti‐muon at point X.

q18-wph14-04-oct-2021-edexcel-int-as-and-a-level-phy

State two ways in which the diagram shows that an anti‐muon must also have a positive charge.

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2b
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Explain how the diagram shows that the anti‐muon is travelling in a clockwise path.

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2c
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State the direction of the magnetic field acting in the detector.

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2d
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The momentum of the pion is 1.2 ×10–19 N s.

Calculate the radius of the path of the pion.

magnetic flux density = 3.5 T

Radius = ...........................................

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2e
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A neutrino is also produced at X.

i) Write an equation for this decay process.

(1)

ii) The initial path of the muon is at an angle of 18° to the direction of the pion, as shown. Data for the momentum of each particle at point X is listed below.

momentum of pion = 1.2 × 10–19 N s

momentum of muon = 0.75 × 10–19 N s

momentum of neutrino = 0.54 × 10–19 N s

q18eii-wph14-04-oct-2021-edexcel-int-as-and-a-level-phy

Deduce whether this data is consistent with the law of conservation of momentum. You should include a scaled vector diagram in the space below.

(5)

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1a
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In 1931, Sloan and Lawrence built a linear accelerator (linac) with several drift tubes.

They used the linac to accelerate mercury ions up to energies of 1.26 MeV. The behaviour of the particles was non-relativistic.

The kinetic energy of a non-relativistic particle of mass m with momentum p is given by

         E subscript k space equals space fraction numerator p squared over denominator 2 m end fraction

Derive this formula.

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1b
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A mercury ion with kinetic energy 6.42 × 10–15 J leaves a drift tube, as shown.

q12b-wph14-04-june-2021-edexcel-int-as-and-a-level-phy

Calculate the momentum of the mercury ion when it reaches the next drift tube.    

mass of mercury ion = 3.32 × 10–25 kg    

charge of mercury ion = 1.60 × 10–19 C    

electric field strength between drift tubes = 7.64 × 106 Vm–1

distance between drift tubes = 5.50 × 10–3 m

Momentum = ........................................

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2a
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In 1932, Carl Anderson published this photograph of a track in a cloud chamber. The cloud chamber contained a lead plate. There was a magnetic field perpendicular to the plane of the track.

q18-wph14-04-june-2021-edexcel-int-as-and-a-level-phy

The photograph shows the track of a positron from cosmic rays and is the first photographic record of the existence of an antiparticle.

State the properties of a positron that show it is the antiparticle to the electron.

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2b
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Deduce the direction of the magnetic field.

Direction of magnetic field = .........................................

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2c
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In the upper part of the photograph the positron had an energy of 23 MeV.  

i) Show that the positron must have been travelling at a relativistic speed. Assume that all of its energy is kinetic energy.

   (3)

ii) For relativistic particles such as this positron, momentum obeys the relationship

E = pc

where E = particle energy, p = particle momentum and c = speed of light.

Determine the magnetic flux density of the magnetic field.

radius of curvature of path = 3.7 cm

Magnetic flux density = .........................................(3)

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2d
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A positron travelling at a non-relativistic speed of 1.5 × 107 m s−1 collides with an electron travelling at the same speed in the opposite direction. This collision results in the production of gamma radiation.

Calculate the frequency of the gamma radiation produced.

Frequency = ..........................................

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