RADIOISOTOPES RADIOACTIVE EMISSIONS PAPER 2
JUNE 2024
(i) Define the term “radioisotope”.
(ii) Radioisotopes have useful applications in the fields of medicine, FIELD APPLICATION
agriculture and industry. Choose TWO of the fields above and
describe ONE useful application of radioisotopes in EACH.
June 2015
(i) State TWO types of radioactive emissions.
(ii) Which type of radioactive emission is the most dangerous to human tissue?
JUNE 2014 Q. 6.
Radioisotopes have many useful applications, but overexposure is a health hazard.
State TWO applications and TWO precautions to be taken when handling radioisotopes.
JUNE 2011 Q. 6.
(i) Outline THREE uses of radioisotopes in medicine.
(ii) State THREE safety precautions to be taken using radioactive substances.
JUNE 2006 Q.5. a.
Radioactive isotopes have been used in the following areas:
(i) Medicine (ii) Industry & Agriculture
Describe briefly, TWO useful applications in EACH of areas (i) and (ii). Give an example of the isotope
or type of radiation in EACH of your four applications.
JUNE 2003 Q. 5. d
State TWO other applications of radioactivity.
June 1998 Q 4
(a) Radioactive tracers are sometimes used in medicine. Describe how a radioactive isotope is used as
a tracer in the human body.
(b) Nuclei which emit only α- particles are NOT normally used as radioactive tracers in the human
body. Give TWO reasons why this is so.
RADIOACTIVE DECAY PAPER 2
JUNE 1992
b) The following represents two nuclear reactions:
21684 Po → 21282 Pb + X
21282 Pb → 21283 Bi + Y
Name the emissions X and Y and write the symbols for them.
June 2013
A liquid fluoride thorium reactor is said to be the new ‘green’ nuclear
reactor.
Rewrite the nuclear sequence to show how thorium-232 becomes uranium-
233, a nuclear fuel, by calculating the numerical values of x, y, u, v and z.
JUNE 2001 Q. 2. c.
Nitrogen (N-17) is a rare, radioactive isotope of nitrogen with atomic number 7. N-17 emits a
beta (β) particle to form an isotope of oxygen (O).
(ii) Write the nuclear reaction for the emission of the β particle.
(iii) The β particle is emitted at high speed. Explain the source of the energy of the β particle.
January 2023
A polonium-210 nucleus decays by α-particle emission to a lead (Pb) nucleus.
Complete the equation for the decay of polonium-210.
JANUARY 2022
Radon-222 is a radioactive nuclide which decays spontaneously with
the emission of an alpha particle to form Polonium (Po). The nuclear
equation representing the decay of a Radon-222 nucleus is given
below:
(i) State what is meant by the term ‘spontaneously’.
(ii) Determine the values of A and Z in the nuclear equation above.
JANUARY 2020
An unstable isotope of lead 21082Pb undergoes exactly two sequential beta particle decays
followed by an alpha particle decay to become stable lead, 20682Pb.
With reference to the information in table 3, write the
nuclear equations that will result in the formation of stable
lead.
First beta decay equation: ____________________________
Second beta decay equation: __________________________
Alpha decay equation: ________________________________
JANUARY 2019 Q. 6
Complete the following nuclear equations.
(i) 146C → N + _______
14
7
(ii) 22688Ra → 22286Rn + __________
January 2015 Q6
One isotope of lead 21082Pb, is not stable but can undergo
exactly three distinct decays of an alpha or beta particle to Element Atomic #
become stable lead. Bi 83
With reference to the information in table 5m write a Po 84
possible sequence of three nuclear equations that can
result in 20682Pb (stable lead) from 21082Pb.
January 2017
A radioactive element X undergoes a decay process which results in the formation of a new
element Y, as shown in the following equation.
222
76 X → p
Y
q + 4
2 He
(i) State the type of decay process that occurred.
(ii) Determine the values of p and q.
(iii) If element Y the undergoes a beta decay and forms an element Z, write the reaction equation.
(iv) How does radioactive decay affect a particle’s mass?
JAN 2009
Radioactive Lead decays in three stages to form stable
Lead.
(i) Complete EACH equation.
(ii) Explain why lead is used when handling radioisotopes.
JUNE 2002 Q.5. b-d
(d) In a radioactive process the element Radium (Ra) emits gamma radiation and decays to Radon
(Rn) and Helium (He). The equation of this process is:
88 Ra → 86 Rn + 2He
226 A 4
Determine the values of A and Z.
June 1999 Q. 5
(c) Technetium emits only gamma rays. If the isotope of technetium used was 9943Tc, write the symbol
for the nucleus that is left when a gamma ray has been emitted, and state the number of protons and
neutrons in this nucleus.
(d)Identify a situation in which a radioactive tracer may be used and state the properties of a tracer
that would make it suitable for this use.
June 1998 Q 4
(d) When a nucleus of 13153I decays, it emits a β particles and γ radiation and becomes Xenon, for
which the symbol is Xc. Write an equation for a nuclear reaction to represent this decay.
June 1997 Q. 2. c.
(c) A magnesium (Mg) nucleus contains 15 neutrons and 12 protons. It emits a beta-particle and
becomes a nucleus of aluminium (Al).
(i) Write an equation for this decay.
