13 Radioactivity

SOIL

There are naturally occurring radioactive materials which are present in

the earth's crust,the  oors and walls of homes, schools,o ces and in the
food we eat and drink. Radioactive gases are in air we breathe , even
our own muscles, bones and tissue contain natural occurring
radioactive elements.

Chapter Notes
Atom and Nucleus
Radioactivity
Radioactivity as Spontaneous Disintegration
Uses of Radioactivity
Radiation and Its Impact
Nuclear Energy
 | TOPIC 1 |
ATOM AND NUCLEUS

Atom
(1) An atom comprises of electrons, protons and neutrons.
(2) Protons and neutrons reside inside the nucleus of an atom, which is at
centre while electrons revolve around it in orbits called stationary orbits.
(3) The maximum number of electrons in a shell can be 2n2 n where is the
number of that shell.
(4) The shells are named as K, L, M, N ...............
(5) The size of an atom is determined by the radius of the shell of its outermost
electron and is of the order of 10-10 m.
(6) The electron has a negative charge equal to
–19 –31
–1.6 × 10 C. Its mass is nearly 9.1 × 10 kg.
Atomic Mass
The atomic mass or an atomic weight is the total mass of protons, neutrons
and electrons in a single atom.
In chemical representation, if X is an element, then atomic mass of the
element is represented by "A", which is normally at the left above an element
symbol as shown.
atomic mass:
protons + neutons A
number of
X
protons Z
Atomic mass is measured by mass spectrometry.
In case of Carbon 14 atom, there are 6 Protons and 8 neutrons in the nucleus,
so its atomic mass is 14 and we write it as 14C.
Atomic mass is expressed in non-SI unit as atomic mass unit (amu) or (u) or
1
1 amu or 1 u or 1 Da isof mass of a single
dalton (symbol: Da), where 12

carbon-12 atom at rest.

Important
 The atomic mass is incorrectly used as synonym of relative atomic mass,
average atomic mass and atomic weight.
 Numerically, the atomic mass when expressed in daltons has same value
as mass number.

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Atomic Number (Z)
The number of protons in the nucleus of an atom is called as atomic number.
It is represented by symbol Z.
In chemical representation, if X is an element, then atomic number of an
element is represented by "Z", which is normally at the left below an element
symbol as shown.
atomic mass:
protons + neutons A
number of
protons Z
X
Important
 Each element has a unique number that identifies how many protons are
in one atom of that element.
Caution
 All the atoms of a particular element have the same number of protons,
and hence the same atomic number.
Mass Number (A)
The total number of neutrons and protons in the nucleus is known as mass
number.
Mass number = no. of protons + no. of neutrons
If A represents mass number, N represents number of neutrons and Z
represents number of protons, then mass number A = N + Z
Example1. In sodium atom, if atomic number Z = 11 and mass number A
= 23, then find number of protons, neutrons and electrons.
Ans. Number of protons = 11
Number of neutrons inside its nucleus = 23 – 11  = 12
Number of electrons revolving around nucleus  = Z = 11
Important
 The mass number is written as a superscript on left side of the symbol of
the element.
 The mass number for all the elements is always a whole number. It cannot
be a fraction.
Isotopes
The atoms of the same element having, same atomic number Z but different
mass number A are called isotopes. Atoms of isotopes have same number of
protons, but different number of neutrons in their nucleus. Since they have

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same number of electrons outside the nucleus, their chemical properties are
also same.
Important
 Tin (Sn) has the largest number (= 10) of isotopes.
Example 2. In 11Na23 and 12Mg23 isobars, how many nucleons are
present?
Ans. Isobars 11Na23 contains 11 protons and 12 neutrons inside its nucleus

...
and 11 electrons outside nucleus.
Isobar and 12Mg23 contains 12 protons and 11 neutrons inside its nucleus
and 12 electrons outside the nucleus.
Total number of nucleons in both the isobars will be same i.e. 23.

4 ICSE Physics Class X

 OBJECTIVE Type Questions
Multiple Choice Questions-I
[ 1 mark]
1. Which atomic particle has a negative charge?
(a)Electron (b)Proton
(c)Neutron (d)None of these
Ans. (a) Electron
Explanation: Electrons are the atomic particles with the negative
charges. Protons have a positive charge and neutrons have a neutral
charge.
Caution
 Use correct understanding sequence of structure of atoms elements.

Multiple Choice Questions-II

[Other Question Types, For Extra Practice]
[ 2 marks ]
2. The nucleus contains the majority of an atom’s mass because protons
and neutrons are much heavier than electrons, whereas electrons
occupy almost all of an atom’s volume. A certain nucleus has a mass
number 20 and atomic number 9.
(A) The number of neutrons present in it is:
(a) 9 (b) 20
(c) 11 (d) 10
(B) The number of protons present in it is:
(a) 9 (b) 20
(c) 11 (d) 10
Ans. (A)(c) 11
Explanation: Number of neutrons =Mass number – Atomic number)
20 – 9 = 11
(B) (a) 9
Number of protons = Atomic number = 9
Related Theory
 The number of protons in the nucleus of an atom is its atomic number
(Z). The total number of protons and neutrons in an atom is called its
mass number (A).

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Assertion Reason Based Questions [A-R]
[ 2 marks]
In each of the following questions, a statement of Assertion (A) is given
followed by a corresponding statement of Reason (R). Select the correct
answers to codes (a), (b), (c) or (d) as given below:
(a) Both (A) and (R) are true and (R) is the correct explanation of (A).
(b) Both (A) and (R) are true but (R) is not the correct explanation of (A).
(c) (A) is true but (R) is false.
(d) Both (A) and (R) are false
3. Assertion (A):In a nuclear reaction, atomic number and mass number
is not conserved.
Reason (R): Total sum of atomic numbers of the reactants is greater
than the sum of atomic number of the products.
Ans. (d) Both (A) and (R) are false
Explanation: No protons or neutrons are totally annihilated. Neutrons
may be turned into protons and vice versa. So, the total of the number of
protons and the number of neutrons, including the neutron that triggered
the fission event, will be conserved.

Case Based Questions

[ 5 marks]

4. All the radioactive elements have a half-life which is known as time

for number of radioactive atoms to decrease by half. For radioactive
isotope of carbon C14, it is 5730 years. Which means, if an organism
has hundred C14 atoms, 5730 years after the death of an organism,
total number of C14 atoms will be 50. 11460 years later, total
number of C14 atoms will decrease to 25 and so on. It is a process of
spontaneous emission of radiations from the nuclei of atoms during
their decay but these is no way/law to predict when or which nucleus
of atom will disintegrate. So radioactive decay is a random nuclear
phenomenon.

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 (A)Fusion reaction takes place at High temperature because:
(a)atoms get ionised at high temperature
(b)kinetic energy is high enough to overcome the coulomb
repulsion between nuclei
(c)molecules break up at high temperature
(d) nuclei break up at high temperature
(B)When a nucleus in an atom undergoes a radioactive decay, the
electronic energy levels of the atom
(a)do not change for any type of radioactivity.
(b)change for a and b radioactivity but not for gamma
radioactivity.
(c)change for a-radioactivity but not for others.
(d) change for b-radioactivity but not for others.
(C)Which of the following statements is true for nuclear forces?
(a)They obey the inverse square law of distance
(b) They obey the inverse third power law of distance
(c)They are short-range forces
(d) They are equal in strength to electromagnetic forces.
(D)In gamma ray emission from a nucleus:
(a)only the proton number changes
(b)both the proton number and neutron number change
(c)there is no change in the proton number and the neutron
number
(d) only the neutron number changes.
(E)After 1 alpha and 2 beta emissions
(a)atomic number remains unchanged.
(b)mass number reduces by 4
(c)mass number reduces by 6

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 (d)Both (a) and (b)
Ans. (A)(b)kinetic energy is high enough to overcome the coulomb repulsion
between nuclei
Explanation: In nuclear fusion reaction, the lighter nuclei combine
together to form heavier nuclei.
Fusion reaction takes place at high temperature because kinetic energy is
high enough to overcome repulsion between nuclei.

(B)(b)change for a and b radioactivity but not for gamma-radioactivity.
Explanation: Alpha and beta decay eject charged particles from the
nucleus, altering its charge and its interactions with electrons, which
in turn alter the electronic energy levels. Whereas Gamma radiations
leaves the nucleus charge unchanged and the electrnoic levels are not
effected.

(C)(c)They are short-range forces
Explanation: The nuclear force is short-ranged and can be both
attractive and repulsive in nature. Protons are positively charged and
neutrons are uncharged. The nuclear force exists between nucleons i.e., it
can be between protons and protons, neutrons and protons, or neutrons
and neutrons. Therefore, the nature of the force remains the same
independent of their charges.

(D)(c)there is no change in the proton number and the neutron number
Explanation: In gamma ray emission, the configuration of the nucleus
does not change because the emitted photons have zero rest mass and
no charge.

(E)(d)Both (a) and (b)
Explanation: After one a-emission, the mass number reduces by 4 and
atomic number reduces by 2. Then after two b-emissions the atomic
number increases by 4. Overall, the mass number reduces by 4 and
atomic number remains unchanged.

SUBJECTIVE Type Questions

Short Answer Type-I Questions [SA-I]
[ 2 marks ]
5. Is it possible for a hydrogen (1H1) nucleus to emit an alpha particle?
Give a reason for your answer.[ICSE 2019]

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 Ans. No.
The nucleus does not contain two protons and two neutrons.
[Marking Scheme]
What Examiners Say
 Most of the candidates wrote first part correctly as `No' barring some
of them who wrote `Yes'. But they found it difficult to give reason for
the same. Various reasons were obtained such as Hydrogen is not a
radioactive substance, after Alpha emission atomic number decreases by
2 and mass number decreases by 4, Hydrogen has one proton and one
neutron or hydrogen has one proton and one electron. Some candidates
gave irrelevant explanation. Very few candidates attempted it to explain
with a nuclear reaction.
Caution
 Study the terms nucleus, its structure, atomic number, mass number,
radioactivity, within the nucleus in detail with ample number of examples.
27
6. In the reaction, 27
, Mg12 emits a beta particle and is
β γ
Mg12 → Al → ......

transformed into aluminium. Write the mass number and the atomic
number of Aluminium. [HOT ]
Ans. The reaction is as shown:

27 β γ
Mg12 → 27Al13 → 27Al13

Therefore, the mass number of aluminium is 27 and its atomic number is

13.

Short Answer Type-II Questions [SA-II]

[3 marks]

7. A beam of α, b and g-rays is travelling through a certain region in

space.
(A)Arrange them in ascending order of ionising power.
(B)Which of the above will pass undeviated if subjected to an electric
field?
(C)With respect to your answer to part (b) above, what will be the
change in the nucleus of an atom after such a ray is emitted.
 [ICSE Specimen Paper Sem-2, 2022]
Ans. (A)Penetrating power is the power of an electron beam which gets
transmitted through a substance.
As per penetrating powers, α, b and g radiations are arranged in the

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 ascending order with respect to their ionising power as: α<b<g
(B) If subjected to an electric field, γ rays will pass undeviated.
– +
– +
 
– +
– +
–  +
– +
– +
– +

Radioactive source

(C)Due to the undeviated path of gamma rays in presence of electric field,

there will be no change in nucleus of an atom. In such case, gamma
rays will take no mass and no electric charge from the nucleus.
Related Theory
 If radiations given out by radioactive substance are subjected to an
electric field perpendicular to their path, they separate into three
constituents.
 Those which turn towards the negative plate are the positively charged
alpha particles.
 Those, which turn towards the positive plate, are the negatively charged
beta particles.
 Those, which pass un-deviated, are the uncharged gamma radiations.
8.(A) Represent the change in the nucleus of a radioactive element when
b particle is emitted.
(B)What is the name given to elements with same mass number and
different atomic number?
(C)Under which conditions does the nucleus of an atom tend to be
radioactive?
Ans. (A) A X 
→
A 0
Y+ e
[ICSE 2016]
z z +1 −1

Explanation: In emitting b-particle, the number of nucleons in the

nucleus remain same, but the number of neutrons is decreased by one
and the number of protons is increased by one.
(B) Isobars
(C)If the atomic number is more than 82 and number of neutrons are
more than number of protons, then the nucleus of an atom tend to be
radioactive.

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 (A) Az X  A 0
→ z + 1Y + − 1e

(B)Isobars
(C) When
(1) neutron portion ratio becomes more than 1.3 to 1.5
(2) nucleus has more/excess mass.
(3) nucleus has excess energy.
[Marking Scheme]

Long Answer Type Questions [LA]

[ 4 marks]
9. An atomic nucleus A is composed of 84 protons and 128 neutrons. The
nucleus A emits an alpha particle and is transformed into a nucleus
B.
(A)What is the composition of B?
(B)The nucleus B emits a beta particle and is transformed into a
nucleus C. What is the composition of C?
(C)What is mass number of the nucleus A?
(D)Does the composition of C change if it emits gamma rediations?
[ICSE 2020] 4
α
Ans. (A) 84A212 2→ 82B208
82 protons
and 208 – 82 = 126 neutrons
\Nucleus B will have 82 Protons and 126 neutrons
β0
208 −
1 208
(B) 82B
→
83C
Nucleus C will have 83 protons and 125 neutrons
(C) Mass number of Nucleus A is 212.
(D)There will be no change in composition of C.
(A)The composition of B is No. of proton = 82 No. of neutron = 126.
(B)The composition of C is No. of proton = 83 No. of neutron = 125.
(C)Mass number of the nucleus A = 212.
(D)No, the composition of a nucleus does not change if it emits
gamma radiation.
[Marking Scheme]
What Examiners Say
 A few candidates did not write number of neutrons. Some forgot to

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 add the number of protons and neutrons to get the mass number. They
subtracted 4 from the neutron number and 2 from the proton number
instead of subtracting 4 from ther mass number.
 Some candidates used neutrons as atomic mass for beta emission. For
candidates who made mistakes in the first part also went incorrect, since
the second part was related to the first part.

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