Answers to Further Questions

in GCSE Physics for You (5th Edition)

On the following pages we show the detailed Answers and Mark Schemes
for the Further Questions on Radioactivity.
The answers have been prepared by an Examiner using the mark schemes
published by each Examination Board. They are laid out in the same way
as the pages of Further Questions in the Students’ Book.

For the Student:

● It is very important that you are able to answer the questions on your
own, using your own knowledge of Physics.
So it is important that you have a go at the questions first, and then
afterwards you can check your answers using these pages.
If you get a question wrong, try to work out where you have made an
error. Discuss it with your teacher if you are not sure.
● Be aware that in some answers the mark is for the idea in your own
words (not necessarily the exact words shown), whereas in other
answers the number and unit must be exactly correct.

For the Teacher:

● You will find these sheets useful when marking the students’
homework, or when going over the Further Questions in class.
The Answer Sheet will also enable you to assess how much work
is involved in answering the questions when planning how much
homework to set.
● The PDFs are available for you to hand out to the students if you
wish (perhaps as part of a Revision Programme).
As with all mark schemes there may be alternative credit-worthy
statements for qualitative answers (for the idea) and this may need
to be explained to your students. Quantitative answers, however,
are generally more prescriptive and your students may need to be
encouraged to show the exact numerical value and the appropriate
unit.

Keith Johnson
Sue Holt

Answers to Further Questions for GCSE Physics for You (5th edition) © Keith Johnson & Sue Holt, 2016 page 1 of 4
 page 355 Further questions on radioactivity

► Radioactivity 4 (a) 1 mark each for:

1 (a) 1 mark for each of the following: (i) 94
a y-axis scale from 0–100 counts per second (ii) (238 − 94) = 144
filling at least half the graph paper vertically (iii) 94
and an x-axis scale from 0–90 minutes filling at (b) 1 mark for each of the following labelled
least half the graph paper horizontally; features shown on the diagram:
all points correctly plotted; protons and neutrons collected together in
line of best fit drawn. centre (nucleus);
(b) 1 mark for approximately 32 minutes. protons and neutrons drawn similar in size;
1 mark for the idea that it is the mean time for electrons drawn in shells or orbits;
the number of counts to halve. electrons drawn much smaller than protons.
Total 5 marks Total 7 marks

2 (a) 1 mark for background radiation. 5 (a) 1 mark for A is 131

(b) 1 mark for a table with identical times, but with 1 mark for B is 54
the following values for radiation from the beta (b) 1 mark for radiation from sources other than
source: 300; 201; 135; 90; 60; 41; 27 the one being measured.
(c) 1 mark for each of the following: (c) 1 mark for each of two of the following ideas:
a y-axis scale from 0–300 counts/min filling from the ground/rocks;
at least half the graph paper vertically and an from food;
x-axis scale 0–120 min filling at least half the from space;
graph paper horizontally; from nuclear waste;
all points correctly plotted; from nuclear fall-out;
line of best fit drawn. from medical uses.
1 mark for half-life of 35 minutes. (d) 1 mark for half-life too short or decays before
(d) 1 mark for the idea that one neutron changes monitoring is finished.
into a proton and an electron. (e) 1 mark for each of four of the following ideas:
Total 7 marks (at least one benefit and one risk)
(benefit) no need for invasive surgery;
3 (a) 1 mark for each of the following steps: (benefit) exposure to radiation is limited or the
counts from X 80, counts from Y 40; half-life is short;
total count 120 per second. (benefit) gamma radiation from the iodine-131
(b) 1 mark for each of the following steps: will mostly be radiated away without affecting
counts from X 40, counts from Y 10; the patient;
total count 50 per second. (risk) radiation can damage cells (or cause
Total 4 marks cancer);
(risk) beta radiation from the iodine-131 will all
be absorbed by the patient’s body.
Total 10 marks

6 (a) 1 mark for the idea that radiation reaching

students is reduced because of spreading out or
absorption by air.
(b) 1 mark for lead reduces the amount of radiation
reaching students.
(c) 1 mark for increased distance reduces radiation
exposure to teacher.
(d) 1 mark for reduced time of exposure to radiation
reduces dose absorbed.
Total 4 marks

Answers to Further Questions for GCSE Physics for You (5th edition) © Keith Johnson & Sue Holt, 2016 page 2 of 4
page 356 Further questions on radioactivity

7 (a) 1 mark for cannot predict which dice (atom) 10 (a) 1 mark each for 95; 146; 95
will ‘decay’. (b) (i) 1 mark for each of the following ideas:
1 mark for cannot predict when a dice (atom) alpha particles penetrate only a few centimetres
will ‘decay’. in air;
(b) 1 mark for each of the following: they are therefore unlikely to reach humans.
axes scaled and labelled correctly with (ii) 1 mark each for 237; 93
quantities and units; (c) (i) 1 mark for each of the following:
points plotted correctly ±1mm; a y-axis scale from 0–70 counts per min filling
smooth curve drawn through most points. at least half the graph paper vertically and an
(c) 1 mark for showing that the value is found from x-axis scale from 0–2000 years filling at least
the graph when number of dice = 50. half the graph paper horizontally;
1 mark for 3.6 to 3.8 (rolls). all points correctly plotted;
Total 7 marks line of best fit drawn.
(ii) 1 mark for 460 years.
8 (a) 1 mark for uranium. (d) 1 mark for each of the following ideas:
(b) 1 mark for beta radiation. its half-life is much too short;
Total 2 marks after a few days it would emit too few particles
to be detected.
9 (a) 1 mark for 486 × 10−9 m Total 13 marks
(b) 1 mark for each of the following steps:
substitute values in 11 (a) 1 mark for each of the following ideas:
speed = frequency × wavelength radiation kills microbes (bacteria);
3 × 108 (m/s) = f (Hz) × 486 × 10−9 (m) so food stays fresh or lasts longer or doesn’t go
rearrange f = 3 × 108 ÷ 486 × 10−9 mouldy as quickly.
arithmetic correct 6.17 × 1014 Hz (b) 1 mark for the idea that a long half-life means
(c) 1 mark for each of the following ideas: the source doesn’t need frequent replacement.
electrons move to a lower energy level or move 1 mark for the idea that the activity of the
closer to the nucleus; source stays (approximately) constant or
because they are emitting electromagnetic the intensity of radiation emitted stays
radiation or transferring energy. (approximately) constant.
(d) 1 mark for each of the following ideas: (c) 1 mark for each of three of the following ideas:
only certain wavelengths of light are emitted; overall there is very little difference between the
because the electrons can only be in certain count rate for radiated and irradiated food;
energy levels or particular distances from the which suggests that irradiating food does not
nucleus. make food more radioactive;
Total 8 marks decay is random, so there are variations within the
irradiated and non-irradiated samples that are as
large as any difference between the groups.
(d) 1 mark for each of the following ideas:
no mention of the relevance, eg. were
the samples the same sort of food that the
worried people usually ate?
no mention of a controlled variable, eg.
was the amount of food the same in each sample?
Total 9 marks

Answers to Further Questions for GCSE Physics for You (5th edition) © Keith Johnson & Sue Holt, 2016 page 3 of 4
 page 357 Further questions on radioactivity

12 (a) 1 mark each for: 15 (a) 1 mark for β-emission is when a nucleus decays
(i) 92 and emits an electron (or β-particle).
(ii) 92 1 mark for an α-ray is an electromagnetic wave
(iii) 235 emitted by an excited nucleus.
(b) 1 mark for each of the following ideas: 1 mark for half-life is the time taken for half
advantages eg. of the nuclei in a radioactive sample to decay
no combustion, therefore no atmospheric (or the time taken for its activity to halve).
pollution; 1 mark for activity (of a source) is the rate at
virtually unlimited fuel source; which it emits radioactivity (or the number of
large amounts of energy obtained from small nuclei decaying per second).
amount of fuel. (b) 1 mark for falling (or decreasing) as the source
disadvantages eg. decays.
waste products have long half-lives, and are (c) 1 mark for the source is becoming weaker or the
therefore dangerous for many years; activity is falling.
building costs are very high; 1 mark for so more time is needed to give the
decommissioning costs are very high. same dose.
Total 9 marks (d) 1 mark for 5.27 years
(e) 1 mark for each of two of the following ideas:
13 (a) 1 mark for the moderator of carbon or graphite keep the old and new sources in lead containers
or water. whenever possible;
1 mark for reduces the kinetic energy of the use absorbers to protect him eg. a lead apron;
neutrons. use a handling device eg. tongs;
(b) 1 mark for boron control rods. work quickly and carefully to minimise any
1 mark for absorb some of the neutrons. exposure;
(c) 1 mark for they are very radioactive. use a monitoring device to check that the dose of
1 mark for they have very long half-lives. radiation he receives does not become
(d) 1 mark for each of two of the following ideas: dangerous eg. a dosimeter.
put it deep underground eg. in old mines; (f) 1 mark for each of two of the following ideas:
dumping at sea; repeat his readings and work out the average;
find a use for the nuclear waste. cross-check with another measuring device;
Total 8 marks take lots of readings because radioactivity is
random;
14 (a) 1 mark for each of the following labelled measure the background radiation and
features shown on the diagram: correct for it.
nucleus containing 6 protons and 8 neutrons; (g) 1 mark for accuracy is important because errors
6 electrons; can affect patient’s health.
2 electrons in the inner shell and 4 in the outer 1 mark for high readings mean that the dose
shell. administered could be too low or the tumour
(b) 1 mark for nitrogen. may not be destroyed.
(c) 1 mark for each of the following steps: 1 mark for low readings mean that the dose
3 half-lives; administered could be too high or the patient
(3 × 5600) = 16 800 years may be harmed by excess radiation.
Total 6 marks Total 15 marks

16 (a) 1 mark for the following values eg.: 0 years–1.0;

700 million years–0.5; 1400 million years–0.25;
2100 million years–0.125
1 mark for each of the following:
a y-axis scale from 0–1.0 filling at least half the
graph paper vertically and an x-axis scale from
0–2500 million years filling at least half the
graph paper horizontally;
all points correctly plotted;
line of best fit drawn.
(b) 1 mark for approximately 400 million years.
Total 5 marks

Answers to Further Questions for GCSE Physics for You (5th edition) © Keith Johnson & Sue Holt, 2016 page 4 of 4