Radiation

Question 1

What do you use when detecting radiation

Answer 1

Absorber
GM tube- Geiger- Muller tube
Counter - counts how many particles get through

Question 2

Define isotope

Answer 2

An atom of an element which has the same number of protons but a different number of neutrons

Question 3

Define radioactive isotope

Answer 3

An isotope that gives out radiation

Question 4

Define mass number

Answer 4

The total number of protons and neutrons in the nucleus of an atom

Question 5

Define atomic number

Answer 5

The number of protons in an atom of an element is called its atomic
number.

Question 6

Define ion

Answer 6

An Ion is an atom which has become charged because it has either lost or gained electrons

Question 7

What does it mean when a radioactive substance has decayed

Answer 7

When a radioactive substance gives out radiation, it has decayed

Question 8

Complete the equation
230A90 —> 226R88 + ____

Answer 8

230A90 —> 226R88 + 4α2

Question 9

Complete the equation
27T14 —> 4α2 + ___W___

Answer 9

27T14 —> 4α2 + 23W1

Question 10

Complete the equation
35S17 —> 0β-1 + ___R____

Answer 10

35S17 —> 0β-1 + 35R18

Question 11

Complete the equation
12E45 —> ____ + 12E46

Answer 11

12E45 —> 0β-1 + 12E46

Question 12

Complete the equation
57Y28 —> γ + ___Y_____

Answer 12

57Y28 —> γ + 57Y28
No change energy is being emitted

Question 13

State the different ways an alpha particle may be represented in a nuclear equation

Answer 13

4α2
4He2

Question 14

State the different ways an beta particle may be represented in a nuclear equation

Answer 14

0β-1
0e-1

Question 15

State the different ways an gamma ray may be represented in a nuclear equation

Answer 15

γ

Question 16

What does beta decay do

Answer 16

beta decay does not cause the mass of the nucleus to change
but does cause the charge of the nucleus to increase

in beta decay, the atomic number increases by 1 but the mass number does not change

Question 17

What does alpha decay cause

Answer 17

alpha decay causes both the mass and charge of the nucleus to
decrease.

During alpha decay, the atomic number decreases by 2

During alpha decay, the mass number decreases by 4

Question 18

What does the emission of gamma ray cause

Answer 18

The emission of a gamma ray does not cause the mass or the
charge of the nucleus to change.

In gamma decay, both the atomic number and the mass number are not changed at all

Question 19

A smoke detector contains a source of alpha radiation in a plastic case.

A source of beta radiation in a smoke detector would be more hazardous than a
source of alpha radiation.

Answer 19

beta radiation is more
penetrating (than alpha
radiation)

so beta radiation could irradiate
people passing near the smoke
detector

Question 20

Internal contamination of the human body means radioactive material is inside the
human body.

Explain how the risk from internal contamination is different to the risk from external
irradiation by a source of alpha radiation.

Answer 20

alpha radiation has a low
penetrating ability

(so externally) alpha radiation is
stopped by skin (so is low risk)

internally, alpha radiation is absorbed by living tissue / organs

(as) alpha radiation is highly ionising

(internal) contamination will cause greater (risk of) harm to cells

greater chance of developing cancer/ mutations

Question 21

https://filestore.aqa.org.uk/sample-papers-and-mark-schemes/2022/june/AQA-8464P1H-QP-JUN22.PDF

question 6.3

Answer 21

(some) radiation is stopped by paper

so the source emits alpha
radiation

and (some)
radiation passes
through paper but is stopped by aluminium

so the source emits beta
radiation (but does not emit gamma)

Question 22

https://filestore.aqa.org.uk/sample-papers-and-mark-schemes/2021/november/AQA-84631H-QP-NOV21.PDF

6.5 question

Answer 22

one alpha decay would
decrease proton number by 2

two beta decays would increase
proton number by 2

so the proton (atomic) number of
the final nucleus is the same as
the proton (atomic number) of
the original nucleus

Question 23

230Th90 —> 226Ra88 + Radiation

Name what type of radiation was emited by thorium-230

Explain the reason for your answer

Answer 23

The mass number has decreased by 4
Atomic number has decreased by 2

These numbers constitute an alpha particle

Question 24

Beta decay soes not cause the mass number of an atom to change

Explain why not.

Answer 24

When Beta decay occurs, a neutron turns into a proton and an electron

Therefore the mass number will stay the same

(mass number is the total number of protons and neutrons of a given atom.

meaning the mass number will not change as 1 neutron is lost and 1 proton is gained)

Question 25

It is impossible for the alpha decay of bismuth-212 to produce the same element as the beta decay of bismuth-212

Answer 25

For beta decay the atomic number increases by 1

For alpha decay the atomic number decreases by 2

Therefore the elements can never be the same

Question 26

When would you say a radioactive substance has decayed

Answer 26

When a radioactive substance gives out radiation, it has decayed