8 Exam-style questions 1 ‘Which statement is supported by the scattering of alpha particles by gold foil? a A. The atom contains electrons in orbit around the nucleus. B_ The atom is mostly empty space. © The nucleus is held together by strong forces. D The nucleus of an atom contains positively charged particles and electrically neutral particles. Which statement about the nuclei of two different isotopes of a substance is correct? u) A. The two nuclei contain equal numbers of neutrons. B The two nuclei contain equal numbers of nucleons. © The two nuclei contain equal numbers of protons and neutrons. D The two nuclei contain equal numbers of protons. Po, an isotope of polonium, decays into an isotope of lead by emitting an alpha particle. ‘The lead decays into an isotope of bismuth by emitting a B° particle: "Po = SP Bi ‘What are the values of X and Y? a Particle and nuclear physics @® The A” hadron has a charge +2e and consists of three quarks. If two of the quarks are up quarks what is the third quark? 0 Ad Bd Cu Which one of the particles fundamental particle? 0 A.anclectron Ba neutrino © a quark D aproton ‘The half-life of an isotope of radium is 1620 years. (@) Explain what is meant by isotope. a) () Define radioactive half-tife @ (6) Show that the decay constant is 4.28 x 10" per year. @ (@) A sample of this isotope has an activity of 6.2 x 10° Bg. Calculate the number of radium atoms in the sample. 2) ‘A thermal neutron collides with a uranium nucleus *s;U, which undergoes nuclear fission, The fission products are %3Sr and Xe, together with two neutrons: Ut nse + BXe+3)n-+ energy (@) Explain what is meant by a thermal neutron. uy (b) State what is meant by nuclear fission. (2) © “eu 235.04393 How many nucleons are there in a nucleus of an atom of Na? a Al BI 623 Dw ‘The isotope niobium-86 ("*Nb) decays by B'-decay into an isotope of zirconium (Zr). Which equation describes the decay? a SND Zr+feeu SND +H 2r+ feeu SEND WN 2r+ feed voa> END zie lest Using the masses given in the table, calculate: @ the mass defect, in atomic mass units (i) the energy released in the reaction, in Mev. 5] 10 An isotope of rubidium, % Ru, decays by Br-decay into St, which is a stable isotope. ‘The halflife of $7Ru is 4.9 x 10” years. ‘The ratio of "Sr to “Ru in a sample of rock is. found to be 0.0060, ‘Assuming that there was no "Sr when the rock was formed, calculate the age of the rock. [4]