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Radioactivity
Question Paper 2

Level IGCSE
Subject Physics
ExamBoard CIE
Topic Atomic Physics
Sub-Topic Radioactivity
Paper Type (Extended) Theory Paper
Booklet Question Paper 2

Time Allowed: 57 minutes

Score: /47

Percentage: /100
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1 Fig. 11.1 shows a beam of radiation that contains α-particles, β-particles and γ-rays. The beam
enters a very strong electric field between charged plates in a vacuum.

plate at positive voltage

beam of radiation

plate at negative voltage

Fig. 11.1

(a) Indicate the deflection, if any, of the α-particles, β-particles and γ-rays, by placing one tick in
each column of the table.

possible deflection α-particles β-particles γ-rays

no deflection

towards positive plate

towards negative plate

out of the paper

into the paper

[3]

(b) The radiation is said to be ionising. Explain what this means.

...................................................................................................................................................

...............................................................................................................................................[1]

(c) α-particles are more strongly ionising and have a shorter range in air than γ-rays.

Use your knowledge of the nature of these radiations to explain these differences.

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................. [3]

[Total: 7]
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2 A technician sets up a radiation detector in a university laboratory, for use in some experiments.
Even before the radioactive source for the experiment is brought into the laboratory, the detector
registers a low count rate.

(a) Suggest what causes this count rate.

...............................................................................................................................................[1]

(b) A radioactive source that emits α-particles is placed on the laboratory bench and the source
is gradually moved closer to the detector.

At first, the detector continues to register a low count rate sometimes slightly less than the
count rate registered without the source. The count rate suddenly increases to a very high
value when the source is very close to the detector.

Explain these changes in the count rate.

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...............................................................................................................................................[3]

(c) In a second experiment, α-particles pass between two parallel, horizontal metal plates in a
vacuum.
They then continue to the detector as shown in Fig. 9.1.

metal plate

_-particles

source detector

metal plate

Fig. 9.1

A positive charge is established on the upper plate and a negative charge on the lower plate.

(i) On Fig. 9.1, sketch the new path of the α-particles. [2]

(ii) State what happens to the count rate registered by the detector.

...........................................................................................................................................

.......................................................................................................................................[1]

[Total: 7]
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3 (a) A technician sets up a radiation detector in a university laboratory for use in a class
experiment.

(i) A radioactive source that emits β-particles is placed on the laboratory bench, 10 cm from
the detector. A small count rate is registered.

1. State the name of the particle, found in an atom, that is identical to a β-particle.

............................................................................................................................... [1]

2. The technician sets up the same equipment in the same way every year. He notices
that the count rate registered by the detector every year is slightly smaller than it
was the previous year.

Suggest why this is so.

....................................................................................................................................

....................................................................................................................................

............................................................................................................................... [2]

(ii) In a second experiment, the same equipment is set up but a radioactive source that
emits α-particles is placed 10 cm from the detector. The same number of particles are
emitted every second from this source as were emitted from the β-source in (i).

Explain why the count rate obtained is much lower.

...........................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................... [2]

(b) In another experiment, β-particles pass between two parallel, horizontal metal plates in a
vacuum. They then continue to the detector as shown in Fig. 10.1.

metal plate

`–particles

source detector

metal plate

Fig. 10.1

A very high p.d. is connected between the plates, with the lower plate positive.
[2]
On Fig. 10.1, sketch the new path of the β-particles.
[Total: 7]
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4 A technician sets up a radiation detector in a university laboratory, for use in some experiments.
Even before the radioactive source for the experiments is brought into the laboratory, the detector
registers a small count rate due to background radiation.

(a) Suggest one source of this background radiation.

...................................................................................................................................................

...............................................................................................................................................[1]

(b) The radioactive source emits γ-rays. It is placed on the laboratory bench close to the detector.

(i) State what γ-rays are.

...........................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

.......................................................................................................................................[2]

(ii) A lead sheet of thickness 10 mm is positioned between the detector and the radioactive
source.
State and explain what happens to the count rate on the detector.

...........................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

.......................................................................................................................................[2]
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(c) In a second experiment, γ-rays pass through air to the detector, as shown in Fig. 10.1.

a-rays

detector
source

Fig. 10.1

One end of a bar magnet is brought close to the path of the γ-rays.

(i) Tick one box to indicate the effect on the path of the γ-rays. [1]

deflected into the page

deflected out of the page

deflected downwards

deflected upwards

no deflection

(ii) Explain your answer to (i).

...........................................................................................................................................

.......................................................................................................................................[1]

[Total: 7]
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5 (a) Complete the following statements.

(i) An α-particle consists of ......................................................................................... .

(ii) A β-particle consists of ........................................................................................... .

[3]

(b) As α-particles and β-particles pass through a gas, molecules of the gas become ionised.

Explain what is meant by the ionisation of a gas molecule.

..........................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................... [1]

(c) Fig. 11.1 shows a beam of α-particles and a beam of β-particles in a vacuum. The
beams are about to enter a region in which a very strong magnetic field is acting. The
direction of the magnetic field is into the page.

_-particles

`-particles

uniform
magnetic field

Fig. 11.1

(i) Suggest why the paths of the particles in the magnetic field are curved.

.............................................................................................................................. [1]

(ii) Sketch the paths of both types of particle in the magnetic field. [3]

[Total: 8]
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6 In a laboratory experiment, the isotope uranium-238 is used as a source of α-particles.

(a) State

(i) one feature of uranium-238 nuclei that is the same for the nuclei of other uranium
isotopes,

............................................................................................................................. [1]

(ii) one feature of uranium-238 nuclei that is different for the nuclei of other uranium
isotopes.

............................................................................................................................. [1]

(b) Fig. 9.1 shows the α-particles from the uranium source being directed at a very thin gold
foil, in a vacuum.

thin gold foil

moveable
_-particle
detector

uranium source
vacuum
_-particles

Fig. 9.1

To investigate the scattering of α-particles, a detector is moved to different positions

around the very thin gold foil and measurements are recorded.

Describe the results from this scattering experiment and explain what they show about
the structure of atoms.

..........................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................
[Total: 6]
..................................................................................................................................... [4]
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7 In a laboratory at a nuclear power station, a radiation detector is connected to a computer.

The readings recorded are displayed on the computer screen.

The detector is switched on. Ten minutes later, at time t = 10 minutes, a small sample of
radioactive material is removed from a nuclear reactor and placed near to the detector.
Readings are recorded for a further 40 minutes. Fig. 11.1 shows the display.

90

80

count-rate 70
counts / minute
60

50

40

30

20

10

0
0 10 20 30 40 50
time t / minutes

Fig. 11.1

(a) Use Fig. 11.1 to determine the background count-rate in the laboratory.

background count-rate = ................................................. [1]

(b) Use Fig. 11.1 to determine the count-rate due to the radioactive sample

(i) at t = 10 minutes,

count-rate due to sample = ......................................................

(ii) at t = 19 minutes.

count-rate due to sample = ......................................................

[2]
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(c) Use the values obtained in (b) to estimate the half-life of the radioactive sample.

half-life = ................................................. [2]

[Total: 5]