- Mark Scheme /

Question Answer Marks AO Element Notes Guidance

1 1
C- only

2 1
B - 0.5 g

3 1
D - 12 000 years

4 1
A- -particle

5 rocks / buildings / (natural) radon 1

/ air / cosmic rays / the Sun /
food / drink

6 use a lead(-lined) box / 1

container

7 (four days is) 2 half-lives (1) 3

activity is 2400 ÷ 4 (1)
600 (counts per minute) (1)

8 evidence of using graph (1) 3

two pairs of coordinates seen
(1)
7.5 (min) (1)
 - Mark Scheme /

Question Answer Marks AO Element Notes Guidance

9 idea of three half-lives (1) 3

36 ÷ 8 (1)
4.5 (mg) (1)

10 beta / β AND gamma / γ 1

11(a) lead 1

11(b) any one from: 1

minimise time for handling
maximise distance from source
prevent contamination

12 changes to a different element / 1

gains a proton

13 any three from: 3

β-particles have charge of
smaller size
β-particles have smaller mass
β-particles have less energy
β-particles travel faster/ less
time near to air molecule
effect / force on electrons in air
molecules less
 - Mark Scheme /

Question Answer Marks AO Element Notes Guidance

14 into page / away from viewer 2

(1)
equivalent to current in opposite
direction to beam OR
LH rule mentioned or described
(1)

15 straight / undeflected (1) 2

(γ) uncharged OR
not equivalent to current (1)

16 (beam) narrow OR 2
straight OR
in one direction owtte (1)
radiation in other directions
absorbed (1)

17 (1) 3

(1)

β OR
beta (particle) (1)
 - Mark Scheme /

Question Answer Marks AO Element Notes Guidance

18 subtracts 10 from 80 (1) 4

evidence of recognising two
half-lives OR
compares 70 and 10 (1)
(final reading =) 70/4 + 10 = 27
OR
(70/10 = 7) age > 2 half-lives OR
age nearly 3 half-lives (1)
age > 11 400 (1)

19 background radiation (1) 2

rocks / ground / buildings / food
/ space / weapons testing /
nuclear accidents or waste / sun
/ air / radon / argon (1)

20 out of page / towards viewer 2

(1)
equivalent to current in direction
of beam (1)

rd
21 tick in 3 box (1) 2
th
tick in 4 box (1)

22 idea of 2 half-lives (1) 2

(432 × 2) = 864 (years) (1)
 - Mark Scheme /

Question Answer Marks AO Element Notes Guidance

23 β (1) 3
β - (would be) stopped by
5 mm / thick Al (1)
α - (would be ) stopped by
0.1 mm Al /Al foil
AND
γ - (would) not (be) stopped by
5 mm / thick Al (1)

24 weakly (penetrating) 1

25 strongly (ionising) 1

26(a) selected count rate halved (1) 3

two pairs of co-ordinates clearly
indicated (1)
(half-life =) 4 (minutes) (1)

26(b) shallower curve drawn (1) 1

27(a) 2.5 (minutes) 1

27(b) any answer above 1246 1

(counts / second) e.g. 1247
 - Mark Scheme /

Question Answer Marks AO Element Notes Guidance

28 helium nucleus OR 1
2 protons AND 2 neutrons

29(a) radioactive emission / 1

(background) radiation / decay
is random

29(b) any one from: 1

rocks / buildings / soil / Earth
space / cosmic rays / Sun
radon / nuclear waste / weapons
testing

29(c) 440 – 24 or 416 or 52 or 55 or 3

79 or 3 (half-lives) or 45/15 or
3
1/2 or 1/8 (1)
3
1/2 or 1/8 or 52 or 55 or 79
(1)
76 (counts) (1)

30 four protons in diagram (1) 3

four neutrons in diagram (1)
electron (1)
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Question Answer Marks AO Element Notes Guidance

31 neutron charge = 0 (1) 4

γ-ray mass = 0 AND charge = 0
(1)
He nucleus mass = 4 m (1)
He nucleus charge = 2 e (1)

32 any three from: 3

detail of handling source
appropriately e.g. tongs
protective clothing
minimise exposure by time /
distance / activity
detail of shielded storage
detail of secure storage
monitoring of exposure
must be disposed of securely
limitation of access to approved
personnel
procedure in place in case of
accident / criminal act to protect
people / environment
 - Mark Scheme /

Question Answer Marks AO Element Notes Guidance

33 type of radiation: gamma (in top 4 1 mark for each correct

box) beta (in bottom box) (1) column
charge: −1 (in bottom box) (1)
mass: 4 ( in middle box) (1)
nature: electron (in bottom box)
(1)

34 3 half lives (until 1.0 mg 2

remains) (1)
(3 × 1600) = 4800 (years) (1)

35 unpredictable owtte 1

36 alpha: high low (1) 3

beta: medium medium (1)
gamma: low high (1)

37 line on graph from 4500 to curve 3

OR from 8000 and 4000 (1)
line on graph from curve to 23
minutes
OR from curve to 4 minutes
AND 27 minutes (1)
23(minutes) (1)
 - Mark Scheme /

Question Answer Marks AO Element Notes Guidance

38 on left side of equation 3

(1)
on right side of equation
(1)
on right side of equation
(1)

39 any two from: 2

alpha particles highly ionising /
more ionising than beta particles
or gamma rays
alpha particles short range (in
air)
safer to use alpha because they
do not travel out of smoke
detector

40 current decreases / is stopped 1

AND alpha particles absorbed
(by smoke) owtte

[Total: 89]