Chapter 23 - Atoms and Radioactivity

Question 1

How many nucleons does a carbon-14 nucleas contain {1 mark}

Answer 1

14

Question 2

How many neutrons does a carbon-14 nucleas contain {1 mark}

Answer 2

8

Question 3

How many electrons does a carbon-14 nucleas contain {1 mark}

Answer 3

6

Question 4

When carbon-14 decays it emits a beta particle

What is a beta particle? {1 mark}

Answer 4

an electron

Question 5

Carbon-14 has a half-life of 5700 years.

A sample of cloth contains 6.0g of Carbon-14

What mass of Carbon-14 will remain in the cloth after 11,400 years [1 mark]

Answer 5

1.5 g

Question 6

Carbon atoms in the cloth are mainly atoms of carbon-12, a different isotope of carbon.

What are isotopes? [2 marks]

Answer 6

• Atoms with same number of protons
• Different numbers of neutrons

Question 7

What is the atomic number/proton number (1)

Answer 7

Number of protons

Question 8

What is the mass number/nucleon number (1)

Answer 8

The total number of protons and neutrons

Question 9

What is an isotope (1)

Answer 9

Same no.protons, different no.neutrons

Question 10

Why is radioactive decay described as a random process (2)

Answer 10

The nuclei of unstable isotopes break down at random, it’s completely unaffected by physical conditions

Question 11

Give two examples of background radiation, one natural, one man made (2)

Answer 11

Nuclear waste
Rocks

Question 12

How can you detect ionising radiation (1)

Answer 12

• Geiger-Muller detector

Question 13

What are the three types of radiation (3)

Answer 13

• Alpha
• Beta
• Gamma

Question 14

How many protons and how many neutrons are alpha particles made up of (2)

Answer 14

• Two neutrons
• Two protons

Question 15

Properties of alpha particles (3)

Answer 15

• Strongly ionising
• Not very penetrating
• Positive charge, so therefore deflected by electric and magnetic fields

Question 16

How many protons and how many neutrons make up a beta particle (1)

Answer 16

• None, it is an electron

Question 17

Properties of beta particles (4)

Answer 17

• Move quite fast and are quite small
• Moderate penetrating power
• Moderate ionising ability
• Deflected by electric and magnetic fields

Question 18

How many protons and how many neutrons does a gamma particle have (2)

Answer 18

0

Question 19

Properties of gamma particles (4)

Answer 19

• They are EM waves, no mass
• Penetrate a long way
• Weak ionising ability
• No charge, so not deflected by electric or magnetic fields
• Gamma emission always happens after beta or gamma decay, never get just gamma emitted.

Question 20

Which arrow belongs to which type of radiation (3)

Answer 20

• Alpha
• Beta
• Gamma

Question 21

Answer 21

Question 22

Answer 22