Questions

Q1.

This question is about using carbon dating to find the age of pieces of wood.
(a) The equation shows how carbon-14 forms in the atmosphere.

(i) State the name of particle X.

(1)
.............................................................................................................................................
(ii) Carbon-14 decays by beta decay.
State what happens to the number of protons and the number of neutrons in a carbon-
14 nucleus when it decays.
(2)
.............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................
(b) A scientist determines how the percentage of carbon-14 remaining in a sample of wood
changes with time.
The table shows the scientist's data.

(i) Plot the scientist's data on the grid.

(3)
(ii) Draw the curve of best fit.
(1)
(iii) Use the graph to determine the age of a sample of wood that has 36% of its carbon-14
remaining.
(2)

age = ........................................................... years

(c) Carbon-14 dating is inaccurate for samples of wood produced after 1950.
This is because the concentration of carbon-14 in the atmosphere greatly increased due to
nuclear weapons testing.
(i) A tree absorbs carbon-14 during its lifetime.
A student suggests that trees grown after 1950 are contaminated with carbon-14.
Give a reason why the student's suggestion is correct.
(1)
.............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................
(ii) Explain how nuclear weapons testing affects the determination of the age of a sample of
wood produced after 1950.
(2)
.............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................

(Total for question = 12 marks)

Q2.

A teacher does an investigation to determine the half-life of a radioactive source.

(a) The radioactive source emits particles of radiation that are negatively charged.
Name the type of radiation emitted by this source.
(1)
.............................................................................................................................................
(b) This is the teacher's method.

· measure the count rate in the room

· bring the radioactive source into the room
· measure the count rate from the radioactive source every two hours
· to determine the corrected count rate, subtract the count rate in the room from each
count rate measured from the radioactive source
· plot a graph of corrected count rate against time
· use the graph to determine the half-life of the radioactive source
(i) Give a reason why the teacher measures the count rate in the room before bringing the
radioactive source into the room.
(1)
.............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................
(ii) State the dependent variable in the teacher's investigation.
(1)
.............................................................................................................................................
(c) The graph shows the teacher's results.
(i) State what is meant by the term half-life.
(2)
.............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................
(ii) A different radioactive source has the same initial corrected count rate but a shorter half-
life.
Sketch another line on the graph to show how the corrected count rate of this different
source changes with time.
(2)

(Total for question = 7 marks)

Q3.

Technetium-99m is an isotope of the element technetium.

(a) Technetium-99m has a half-life of 6 hours.
A sample of technetium-99m has an initial activity of 160 Bq.
Complete the graph to show how the activity of this sample of technetium-99m changes over
a period of 24 hours.
(3)
(b) Technetium-99m has a half-life of 6 hours and can be used as a medical tracer.
It is injected into a patient's blood and moves around the patient's body.
Technetium-99m emits gamma radiation, which is used to locate the position of the tracer in
the patient's body.
(i) Technetium-99m does not exist naturally.
Suggest why technetium-99m is usually made at the hospital where it is used.
(1)
.............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................
(ii) Explain why technetium-99m is an effective isotope to use as a medical tracer.
(2)
.............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................
(c) The gamma radiation emitted by technetium-99m is potentially harmful to humans.
Discuss the risks of using technetium-99m to doctors and to patients.
(3)
.............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................

(Total for question = 9 marks)

Q4.

(a) The diagram shows tracks produced by radiation in a device called a cloud chamber.
The tracks are formed when particles ionise the material in the cloud chamber.

Alpha particles produce the shorter, thicker tracks.

Beta particles produce the longer, thinner tracks.
Explain why alpha particles produce the shorter, thicker tracks.
(2)
.............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................
(b) Uranium-235 is an isotope of uranium that can decay by emitting an alpha particle.
(i) Describe what is meant by the term isotope.
(2)
.............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................
(ii) Complete the equation for the decay of uranium-235
(2)

(iii) Uranium-235 decays to thorium-231 with a half-life of 700 million years.

When a rock was formed, it contained 6400 million uranium-235 nuclei and no thorium-
231 nuclei.
Show that after 2100 million years there are seven times more thorium nuclei than
uranium nuclei in the rock.
 (5)

(Total for question = 11 marks)

Answers:
Mark Scheme

Q1.
 Total for Question = 12 marks

Q2.
Q3.

Q4.
Examiner's Report

Q1.

Half of all candidates successfully identified particle X as a proton in (a)(i). Some candidates
were able to correctly identify both changes that occurred to the number of protons and
neutrons and state these in their answers in (a)(ii). A greater proportion of candidates earned
one mark for correctly identifying the change to only one of the particles. However, many
candidates did not score any marks, despite stating that a neutron changes into a proton as
this did not sufficiently answer the question.
The quality of graph drawing skills was high in (b) and most candidates scored full marks.
Marks were most frequently lost for poorly drawn curves or not labelling axes appropriately.
Weaker candidates experienced difficulties constructing appropriate scales or made plotting
errors.
Candidates who had a full understanding of the concept of radioactive contamination were
able to successfully fulfil the requirements of the mark scheme for (c)(i) and (c)(ii) in relation
to more carbon-14 within samples. Less frequently, candidates identified that this translated
to a sample age that is much younger. There were relatively high volumes of zero response
for both questions. Many candidates incorrectly wrote that trees would die as a result of the
increased concentration of carbon-14 in the atmosphere. Many also wrote about the half-life
of carbon-14 being longer or shorter due to the increased concentration in the atmosphere.
Candidates would benefit from exploring carbon dating in more depth, especially its
applications.

Q2.
(a) was answered to a high standard and nearly all students gave the correct response.
Incorrect responses ranged from parts of the EM spectrum to the other types of ionising
radiation. A few students did give the correct alternative answer of 'electron(s)'. In (b)(i)
many students scored the mark by mentioning the term in the mark scheme. Where students
did not score this mark, it was mainly due to using terms such as "to make a fair test" or to
test the room radiation or to check the equipment was working properly. (b)(ii) was well
answered by most students and the answers from the mark scheme were seen frequently.
Where students did not score it was as a result of thinking the dependent variable was the
half-life or the time.
Lots of different answers were seen in (c)(i). However, many students had a good idea of the
concept of half-life. When 1 mark was awarded it was usually for students who knew it was
"time taken" but were less sure about what happened in that time. The most common
misconception was stating that mass is halved. Although some of the curves in (c)(ii) were
poorly drawn they were sufficient to score both marks. It was pleasing to see so many
students apply their understanding of half-life correctly.

Q3.

Part (a) was answered to a high standard by most students. There was a clear
understanding that activity decreased over time and that it took the shape of a curve. The
best students took the time to calculate subsequent values for the activity at later points in
time to ensure the accuracy of their curve. However, some students then proceeded to join
these data points together with straight lines, rather than a curve.
Very few students appreciated why technetium-99m is made in hospitals in part (b)(i). Most
students thought it was due to health and safety issues posed by the radioactive material.
Students very rarely indicated that gamma would pass out of the body or that it could be
detected outside the body in (b)(ii) despite recognising that it had a high penetrating ability.
The idea of activity falling to a safe level quickly was the most common correct response
seen.
Students did not understand the significance of the command word discuss in part (c). Most
students gave three different hazards of ionising radiation and assumed this was sufficient to
answer the question. Very few students gained more than one mark in this question by
distinguishing the respective risk to doctors from the risk to patients.

Q4.
No Examiner's Report available for this question