12.

2 Formative

1. The radii of nuclei may be determined by

A. scattering charged particles off the nuclei.
B. injecting the nuclei in a mass spectrometer.
C. measuring the de Broglie wavelength of the nuclei.
D. observing the spectrum of the nuclei.
(Total 1 mark)

2. A radioactive isotope has a half-life of five minutes. A particular nucleus of this isotope has not
decayed within a time interval of five minutes. A correct statement about the next five minute
interval is that this nucleus
A. has a lower than 50 % chance of decaying.
B. will certainly decay.
C. has a 50 % chance of decaying.
D. has a better than 50 % chance of decaying.
(Total 1 mark)
3. Protons and neutrons are held together in the nucleus by the
A. electrostatic force.
B. gravitational force.
C. weak nuclear force.
D. strong nuclear force.
(Total 1 mark)
4. A radioactive isotope has an initial activity A0 and a half-life of 1 day. The graph shows how the
activity A varies with time.

The ratio is equal to which of the following?

A.
B.
C.
D.
(Total 1 mark)
5. Which of the following provides evidence for the quantization of nuclear energy levels?
I. Alpha particles have discrete values of kinetic energies
II. Gamma-ray photons have discrete energies
III. Atomic line emission spectra
A. I only
B. II only
C. I and II only
D. I, II and III
(Total 1 mark)

IB Questionbank Physics 1
12.2 Formative

6. The graph below shows the number of nuclei N of a radioactive isotope as a function of time t.

The slope of the curve at any given time is

A. independent of the decay constant.
B. proportional to the half-life of the isotope.
C. proportional to the number of radioactive nuclei remaining at that time.
D. proportional to the number of radioactive nuclei decayed.
(Total 1 mark)

7. An alpha particle is accelerated through a potential difference of 10 kV. Its gain in kinetic
energy is
A. 10 eV.
B. 20 eV.
C. 10 keV.
D. 20 keV.
(Total 1 mark)
8. A radioactive substance S has a decay constant λS, substance T has a decay constant λT. Initially,
a sample of S contains NS nuclei and a sample of T contains NT nuclei. The initial activity of
both samples is the same.
The ratio is
A. 1
B.
C.
D. λSλT
(Total 1 mark)

9. This question is about radioactive decay.

(a) A nucleus of a radioactive isotope of gold (Au-189) emits a neutrino in the decay to a
nucleus of an isotope of platinum (Pt).
In the nuclear reaction equation below, state the name of the particle X and identify the
nucleon number A and proton number Z of the nucleus of the isotope of platinum.

X: ................................................................................................................................
A: ................................................................................................................................
Z: ................................................................................................................................
(2)

(b) The half-life of Au-189 is 8.84 minutes. A freshly prepared sample of the isotope has an
activity of 124 Bq.
(i) Calculate the decay constant of Au-189.

IB Questionbank Physics 2
12.2 Formative

...........................................................................................................................
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(1)

(ii) Determine the activity of the sample after 12.0 min.

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(2)
(Total 5 marks)
10. This question is about α-particle scattering and nuclear processes.
Radium-226 decays with the emission of α-particles to radon (Rn).
(a) Complete the nuclear reaction equation.
→ Rn +
(2)

(b) The decay constant of radium-226 is 1.4 × 10–11 s–1 and each emitted α-particle has an
energy of 7.6 × 10–13 J.
(i) Calculate the half-life of radium-226.
...........................................................................................................................
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(1)

(ii) Determine the rate, in watts, of emission of energy from 1.0 g of radium-226.
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(4)
(c) Experimental evidence that supports a nuclear model of the atom was provided by
α-particle scattering. The diagram represents the path of an α-particle as it approaches and
then recedes from a stationary gold nucleus.

(i) On the diagram, draw lines to show the angle of deviation of the α-particle.
Label this angle D.
(1)

(ii) The gold nucleus is replaced by another gold nucleus that has a larger nucleon

IB Questionbank Physics 3
12.2 Formative

number. Suggest and explain the change, if any, in the angle D of an α-particle with
the same energy and following the same initial path as in (c)(i).
...........................................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................
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(2)

(d) Estimate the distance of closest approach to a gold nucleus (Z = 79) of an α-particle with
an initial kinetic energy of 4.0 MeV.
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......................................................................................................................................
......................................................................................................................................
(3)
(Total 13 marks)

IB Questionbank Physics 4