Topic Test: OxfordAQA Name: ________________________

International AS level Physics

Particles Class: ________________________
Radiation and Radioactivity Date: ________________________

Time: 45 minutes

Marks: 37 marks

Comments:

Oxford International AQA Examinations Page 1 of 9

 Complete the equation below to show the decay of a neutron.
1 Show the proton numbers, nucleon numbers and symbols of all three particles produced.

(Total 3 marks)

(a) State the name of the antiparticle of a positron.

2
___________________________________________________________________
(1)

(b) Describe what happens when a positron and its antiparticle meet.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(2)
(Total 3 marks)

A single nucleus of decays into a nucleus of .

3
During this decay two additional particles are emitted.

(a) Identify this decay.

___________________________________________________________________
(1)

(b) Identify the neutral particle emitted in this decay.

___________________________________________________________________
(1)

(c) Identify the antiparticle of the neutral particle in question (b).

___________________________________________________________________
(1)
(Total 3 marks)

(a) (i) Determine the charge, in C, of a nucleus.

4
______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

Oxford International AQA Examinations Page 2 of 9

 (ii) A positive ion with a nucleus has a charge of 4.80 × 10–19 C.
Determine how many electrons are in this ion.

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________
(4)

(b) A nucleus may decay by emitting two β– particles to form a plutonium nucleus .
State what X and Y represent and give the numerical value of each.

X _________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

Y _________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(4)
(Total 8 marks)

(a) Name the constituent of an atom which

5
(i) has zero charge,

______________________________________________________________

(ii) has the largest charge to mass ratio,

______________________________________________________________

(iii) when removed leaves a different isotope of the element.

______________________________________________________________
(3)

Oxford International AQA Examinations Page 3 of 9

 (b) An α particle is the same as a nucleus of helium, He.
The equation

Th >Ra + α

represents the decay of thorium by the emission of an α particle.

Determine

(i) the values of X and Y, shown in the equation,

X = ____________________

Y = ____________________

(ii) the ratio

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________
(3)
(Total 6 marks)

(a) Explain what is meant by an isotope.

6
___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(2)

(b) The incomplete table shows information for two isotopes of uranium.

specific charge of
number of protons number of neutrons
nucleus/

first isotope 92 143

second isotope 3.7 × 107

(i) Write the unit for the specific charge in the heading of the last column of the table.
(1)

Oxford International AQA Examinations Page 4 of 9

 (ii) In the above table write down the number of protons in the second isotope in the
table.
(1)

(iii) Calculate the specific charge of the first isotope and write this in the table.

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________
(3)

(iv) Calculate the number of neutrons in the second isotope and put this number in the
table

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________
(3)
(Total 10 marks)

What is the specific charge of a ion?

7
A 2.1 × 107 C kg–1

B 4.3 × 107 C kg–1

C 9.6 × 107 C kg–1

D 2.2 × 10–1 C kg–1

(Total 1 mark)

Oxford International AQA Examinations Page 5 of 9

8 In a nuclear reaction is bombarded by neutrons. This results in the capture of one neutron
and the emission of one proton by one nucleus of . The resulting nucleus is

(Total 1 mark)

A Geiger counter is used to measure the corrected count rate C from a gamma source in a
9
vacuum.

What is the relationship between C and the distance x between the Geiger counter and the
source?

A C is directly proportional to x2

B C is directly proportional to x

C C is inversely proportional to x

D C is inversely proportional to x2
(Total 1 mark)

207Pb can be formed from a series of decays beginning with 211Pb. Only alpha particles and beta
10
particles are emitted in the series.

How many alpha and beta particles are emitted in the series?

A 1 alpha particle and 1 beta particle

B 1 alpha particle and 2 beta particles

C 2 alpha particles and 1 beta particle

D 2 alpha particles and 2 beta particles

(Total 1 marks)

Oxford International AQA Examinations Page 6 of 9

Mark schemes
proton correct (1,1) accept p or p+ ✓
1
electron correct (0,−1) accept e or e− or β or β− ✓

(electron-)antineutrino correct (0, 0) ✓

Must be an antineutrino
[3]

(a) electron
2
B1
1

(b) they annihilate (condone disappear/destroy or eliminate each

other)

B1

forming (two) gamma ray(s)/radiation or photon(s)

(i.e. condone singular)
NOT just energy

B1
2
[3]

(a)  Beta-plus or positron (emission) ✓

3

Accept correct decay equation in which beta plus is

seen
Just beta decay is insufficient
1

(b)  (electron) neutrino ✓

Accept correct symbols
Reject anti-neutrino.
1

(c)  the correct antiparticle to student’s (b). ✓

Accept correct symbols
Expect (electron) antineutrino but not if (b) is incorrect
ecf from (b)
1
[3]

Oxford International AQA Examinations Page 7 of 9

 (a) (i) (charge) = 92 × 1.60 × 10–19
4
= 1.47 × 10–17 (C) (1)

(ii) (magnitude of ion charge) = 3(e) (1)

number of electrons (= 92 – 3) = 89 (1)
4

(b) X: number of nucleons [or number of neutrons plus protons or

mass number] (1)
239 (1)
Y: number of protons [or atomic number] (1)
94 (1)
4
[8]

(a) (i) neutron (1)

5
(ii) electron (1)

(iii) neutron (1)

3

(b) (i) (X =) 225 (1)

(Y =) 88 (1)

(ii) = 56(.3) (1)

(allow C.E. for value of X from (i))

3
[6]

(a) isotopes (are varieties of the same element that) have the same
6 number of protons/atomic number/proton number (1)

but different numbers of neutrons/nucleons/atomic mass (1)

2

Oxford International AQA Examinations Page 8 of 9

 (b)

number specific charge of

of number of neutrons nucleus/
protons C kg–1 (1)

= 92 × 1.6 ×10–19 (1)

/(92 × 1.67 × 10–27
first
92 143 + 143 × 1.67 × 10–27)
isotope
(1)
= 3.8 × 107 (1)

3.7 × 107 = 92 × 1.6 3.7 ×107

× 10–19
/(A × 1.67 × 10–27)
(1)
A × 1.67 × 10–27 =
92 × 1.6 × 10–19/3.7
second × 107
92 (1)
isotope A = 238 (1)
number of neutrons
= 238 – 92=146 (1)
or
148 if used u or 147
(depends on
rounding)
8
[10]

A
7
[1]

B
8
[1]

D
9
[1]

B
10
[1]

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