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Physics Paper 2 > Nuclear > Flashcards

Nuclear Flashcards

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1
Q

What is the composition of Alpha radiation ?

A

helium nucleus
2protons, 2neutrons

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2
Q

What is the mass and charge of Alpha radiation ?

A

4 relative mass
+2 relative charge

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3
Q

What is Beta radiation made of ?

A

A high velocity electron

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4
Q

What is the mass and charge of Beta radiation ?

A

0 relative mass
-1 relative charge

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5
Q

What is gamma radiation ?

A

A wave of electromagnetism (shortest wavelength)

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6
Q

What is the charge and mass of gamma radiation ?

A

0 relative charge
0 relative mass

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7
Q

What is one use of alpha radiation ?

A

Smoke alarms

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8
Q

What is one use of beta radiation ?

A

testing paper thickness

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9
Q

What is one use of gamma radiation ?

A

to be used as a medical tracer
(put into body and creates an image of the body for medical tests)

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10
Q

What can alpha penetrate ?

A

A few centimetres of air
Stopped by paper

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11
Q

What can beta penetrate ?

A

A few centimetres of air
A few millimetres of paper
Stopped by aluminium

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12
Q

What can gamma penetrate ?

A

A few centimetres of air
A few millimetres of paper
A few millimetres of aliminium

Stopped by Thick lead

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13
Q

What is the ascending order of strength in radiation ?

A

Alpha
Beta
Gamma

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14
Q

What is the ascending order of ionisation in radiation ?

A

Gamma
Beta
Alpha

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15
Q

Why is gamma least ionising ?

A

1 photon interacts with 1 electron
so each gamma photon can only ionise 1 atom and only if it actually hits an electron

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16
Q

Why is alpha more ionising than beta ?

A

Alpha is slower (more time to interact)
Much bigger (bigger space to interact)
x2 charge (twice as likely to ionise)

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17
Q

What are some sources of radiation ?

A

rocks
fallout from nuclear testing
radiation from chenauble

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18
Q

How is background radiation accounted for in an experiment ?

A

count background radiation for ~10 minutes
deduct from final count

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19
Q

What is the unit for activity ?

A

Number of decays per second
Bq
s^-1

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20
Q

What is the unit for Intensity ?

A

Activity per unit area
Bq m^-2
s^-1 m^-2

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21
Q

What did Rutherford do in his experiment ?

A
  • Alpha particles fired at very thin gold foil
  • In a vacuum
    ( Had a detector to see where the particles went )
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22
Q

What were the results of Rutherford’s experiment ?

A
  • Most alpha particles went straight through
  • Some deflected at small angles
  • Some deflected at large angles (90+)
23
Q

Why did the alpha particles going straight through align with the modern structure of the atom ?

A
  • Atom is mostly empty space
24
Q

Why did the alpha particles deflecting align with the modern structure of the atom ?

A
  • The positive charge is held in the nucleus (like charges repel)
25
Q

What happens to the kinetic energy when a particle gets to the point of closest approach ?

A
  • All converted to Electric Potential energy
26
Q

What is the graph for electron diffraction (x : diffraction angle, y : intensity of scattered electrons)

A
  • Minimum angle : max intensity
  • Max angle : min intensity
  • Middle of graph has a sharp decrease that then goes to an increase (graph is not a standard curve, has 2 turning points in the middle)
27
Q

What is the purpose of electron diffraction ?

A

To get a better measurement of a nucleus radius (alpha particles are bigger and can make nucleus recoil)

28
Q

What does N mean in a Nuclear decay equation ?

A

Number of undecayed nuclei

29
Q

What does N0 mean in a Nuclear decay equation ?

A

Number of Nuclei at the start

30
Q

When can the Activity equation
( ΔN / Δt = -A = λN) be used

A

If given a graph

31
Q

What is the unit for Count rate ?

A

Bq
counts per time period

32
Q

What is a half life ?

A
  • Time taken for activity to half
  • Time taken for number of undecayed nuclei to half
33
Q

What is the unit for decay constant (λ)

A

s^-1

34
Q

How to find the half life from a graph ?

A

From a y value, use the graph to find out how long it takes to half and repeat 3 times

35
Q

On a graph with number of neutrons against number of protons where is beta- decay ?

A

just above the line for stable nuclei

36
Q

On a graph with number of neutrons against number of protons where is beta+ decay / electron capture ?

A

Just below curve

37
Q

On a graph with number of neutrons against number of protons where is alpha decay ?

A

further below the line than beta+

38
Q

What is binding energy ?

A

Energy difference when nucleons join via strong

39
Q

How to calculate binding energy ?

A

Calculate initial mass of protons + neutrons
Calculate total mass of nucleus
Sub Mass difference into E = mc^2

40
Q

What is fusion ?

A

When 2 nuclei come together to make a bigger nucleus

41
Q

What are the conditions for fusion ?

A
  • Travelling fast enough to overcome electrostatic repulsion
  • High temperature
  • Lots of nuclei
42
Q

What is fission ?

A

When a large nucleus splits into 2 smaller nuclei

43
Q

What is a fission chain reaction ?

A

n —> (big nucleus) —> 2 smaller nuclei + 3n

44
Q

What is a thermal neutron ?

A

A neutron with 1eV of kinetic energy

45
Q

Why does a thermal neutron need 1eV of kinetic energy to induce fission ?

A

Too much energy it will go right through the nucleus
Too little energy it will bounce off

46
Q

Why does a thermal neutron need 1eV of kinetic energy to induce fission ?

A

Too much energy it will go right through the nucleus
Too little energy it will bounce off

47
Q

What does a moderator do ?

A
  • Slows down neutrons (so they have 1eV Ek) through inelastic collissions
  • Made from graphite or water (to not absorb neutrons)
48
Q

What do fuel rods do ?

A
  • Contains the fuel
  • Makes it easier to change fuel
  • Used up over time so become less effective
  • Usual fuel is uranium
49
Q

What does a coolant do ?

A
  • Removes heat from the reactor
  • Usually made of water or carbon dioxide
50
Q

What do the control rods do ?

A
  • Absorb neutrons from the fission so that 1 is left
  • Can be move further in to slow down reactions
  • Can be moved further out to speed up
  • Can be made from Boron or Cadmium
51
Q

Why does the Nuclear Reactor get hot ?

A
  • Neutrons collide with the moderator
  • Atoms gain Ek
52
Q

Why does the nuclear reactor have shielding ?

A
  • To absorb neutrons
  • Reduce intensity of gamma rays
  • Made from concrete
53
Q

What happens when the control rods are dropped fully in ?

A
  • Absorbs all the neutrons
  • Stops reactions
  • Stops the reactor quickly
54
Q

How is Nuclear Waste stored ?

A
  • Removed by remote control
  • Stored in a cooling pond for several months
  • Remaining waste is stored in glass and buried underground

Physics Paper 2 (3 decks)

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