Science Department

Topic 7.1 – Radioactive Decay

12 Grade (Physics SL)
th

Teacher: Anan Barghouthy 19/10/2022

Name: _______________________
Part I: Choose the correct answer for each of the following:

1. A sample of an isotope emits β– particles.

The emitted β– particles have a range of energies.
What must also be emitted?
A. antineutrinos
B. neutrinos
C. antineutrons
D. neutrons

2. A nucleus of magnesium decays into a nucleus of sodium by emitting a β+ particle. The

decay is represented by the equation shown.
23 P 0
12 Mg → Q Na+ + 1β

What are the values of P and Q?

P Q
A. 22 11
B. 22 13
C. 23 11
D. 23 13

3. A nucleus of sodium-21, 2111 Na , decays to form a new nucleus containing 10 protons

and 11 neutrons.
Which particles are emitted from the sodium-21 nucleus during the decay?
A. a positron and an antineutrino
B. a positron and a neutrino
C. an electron and an antineutrino
D. an electron and a neutrino

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4. Thorium-234 ( 90Th ) decays by β– emission into a daughter product which in turn decays
234

by a further β– emission into a granddaughter product.

Which letter in the diagram represents the granddaughter product?

5. Which row describes the relative ionizing power and the relative penetration power per
unit length in air of α -particles and γ -rays?

α -particles γ -rays

A. least ionizing least penetrating

B. least penetrating most ionizing
C. most ionizing most penetrating
D. most penetrating least ionizing

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6. A nucleus of neptunium-236 contains 93 protons and 143 neutrons. This nucleus
decays with the emission of an α -particle. The nucleus formed then emits a β– particle.
Which diagram shows the changes in the number P of protons and the number N of
neutrons in these nuclei?

7. The nucleus of one of the isotopes of nickel is represented by 6028 ¿.

Which line in the table correctly describes a neutral atom of this isotope?

number of number of number of

protons neutrons orbital electrons
A. 28 32 28
B. 28 60 28
C. 60 28 28
D. 60 32 32

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8. The figure shows part of a chart of nuclides where neutron number is plotted against
proton number.
An unstable nuclide X decays by emitting an α-particle.
Which nuclide is formed by the decay of nuclide X?

9. Which word equation represents β+ decay?

A. proton → neutron + electron + electron antineutrino
B. proton → neutron + electron + electron neutrino
C. proton → neutron + positron + electron antineutrino
D. proton → neutron + positron + electron neutrino

10. A nucleus of bohrium xy Bh decays to mendelevium 255

101 Md by a sequence of three α -
particle emissions.

bohrium xy Bh → dubnium + α
Lawrencium + α
mendelevium 255
101 Md + α

How many neutrons are there in a nucleus of xy Bh?

A 267
B 261
C 160
D 154

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Part II: Answer each of the following questions
1. The radiation from a radioactive source is detected using the apparatus illustrated in the
diagram.

Different thicknesses of aluminium are placed between the source and the detector. The
count rate is obtained for each thickness. The graph shows the variation with thickness x
of aluminium of the count rate.

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(a) Suggest why it is not possible to detect the presence of the emission of α-particles from
the source. [1]

(b) State the evidence provided on graph for the emission from the source of
(i) β -particles, [2]

(ii) γ -radiation. [2]

2. The radioactive decay of nuclei is both spontaneous and random.

Explain what is meant by
(a) radioactive decay of a nucleus, [2]

(b) spontaneous decay, [2]

(c) random decay, [2]

(d) half-life. [2]

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3. An experiment is carried out to determine the count rate, corrected for background
radiation, when different thicknesses of copper are placed between a radioactive
source and a detector. The graph shows the variation of corrected count rate with
copper thickness.

(a) Outline how the count rate was corrected for background radiation. [1]

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(b) When a single piece of thin copper foil is placed between the source and detector,
the count rate is 810 count minute−1. The foil is replaced with one that has three
times the thickness. Estimate the new count rate.
[2]

(c) Further results were obtained in this experiment with copper and lead absorbers.

Thickness Corrected count rate

Absorber
/ mm / count minute−1
copper 3.5 32
lead 3.5 10

Comment on the radiation detected from this radioactive source. [4]

(d) Another radioactive source consists of a nuclide of caesium ( 137

55 Cs) that decays to
137
barium ( 56Ba ). Write down the reaction for this decay. [2]

End of Questions