5. Nuclear physics
A section of Physics, 5054
Listing 10 of 279 questions
A teacher carries out an experiment on radioactivity using the apparatus shown in . detector counter radioactive source (not to scale) The count rate is a measurement of the count during one minute. State the name of one type of radiation detector. State one safety precaution the teacher must take when using a radioactive source. The teacher states that the emissions from the radioactive source are random in time. State what is meant by random in time. Describe how the apparatus is used to show that the emissions are random in time. State what is meant by background radiation. The teacher measures the count rate due to the source. Describe how the count rate is corrected for the background radiation. The corrected count rate is recorded for various distances d between the source and the detector. shows a graph of the results obtained. d / cm corrected count rate counts / min Determine the maximum distance that the radiation travels in air. State the name of the radiation emitted by the radioactive source and give a reason for your answer. radiation is reason As the radiation from the source travels in the air it causes ionisation. Describe what is meant by ionisation of the air. The half-life of another radioactive source is 40 minutes. Initially, the corrected count rate from this source is 300 counts / minute. On , plot suitable points and draw a graph of the corrected count rate as it changes with time. time / min corrected count rate counts / min
5054_s19_qp_21
THEORY
2019
Paper 2, Variant 1
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Carbon-14 is an isotope of carbon. It undergoes radioactive decay with a half-life of 6000 years. The age of a sample of wood is found using the carbon-14 that it contains. Describe what happens during radioactive decay. The count rate of the carbon-14 in the sample of wood is initially 1600 counts / minute. On draw a graph to show how the count rate will vary over the next 24 000 years. The initial count rate is already marked with an x. 12 000 16 000 20 000 24 000 count rate counts / minute time / years Name the apparatus used to measure the radiation from the sample of wood and describe how it is used to measure the count rate. apparatus used how the apparatus is used Describe how the count rate from a sample of wood is used to find its age. Question 11 begins over the page
5054_s23_qp_21
THEORY
2023
Paper 2, Variant 1
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Questions Discovered
279