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16. Uranium-235 can be used as the fuel in a nuclear power station.

(a) A uranium-235 nucleus can be split by a collision with a neutron. The diagram shows
what happens.

neutron
uranium-235 nucleus

(i) Name the process shown.

................................................................................................................................
(1)
(ii) Three more neutrons are produced in this case. Describe how they can produce
a chain reaction.
................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................
(2)
(iii) The process releases a lot of energy. In what form is this energy released?
................................................................................................................................
(1)

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(iv) It is easier to hit a nucleus with a neutron than with an alpha particle. Explain
why.
................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................
(3)
(b) The process in (a) occurs in the reactor of a nuclear power station. The reactor
contains a moderator and control rods. State and explain the purpose of
(i) the moderator .........................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................
(2)
(ii) the control rods ......................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................
(2)

Q16

(Total 11 marks)

QUESTION 17 IS ON THE NEXT PAGE

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4.

(a) Define the following terms.

(i) Atomic number
................................................................................................................................
(1)
(ii) Mass number
................................................................................................................................
(1)
(iii) Isotope
................................................................................................................................
(1)
(b) How many of the following particles are found in a neutral atom of 23
11 Na?
(i) protons
..........................
(1)
(ii) neutrons
..........................
(1)
(iii) electrons
..........................
(1)
(c) Alpha, beta and gamma are three types of ionising radiation. Which one of these
radiations does not contain any of the particles mentioned in (b)?
.......................................................................................................................................
(1)
(d) State one danger of ionising radiations.
.......................................................................................................................................
(1)
(Total 8 marks)

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Q4

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11. The diagram shows the path of a small charged particle being deflected as it passes a large
charged particle. The angle of deflection S depends on the distance d.

path of small charged particle

S
d
large charged particle
(a) Geiger and Marsdens experiment, from which the structure of the atom was
determined, involved a small particle being deflected by a large particle.
(i) Name the small particle.
................................................................................................................................
(1)
(ii) Name the large particle.
................................................................................................................................
(1)
(b) (i) What can you conclude about the type of charge on the two particles?
................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................
(1)
(ii) Explain your conclusion.
................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................
(1)

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(c) The table shows some results for Geiger and Marsdens experiment.
The distances are very small and measured in femtometres (fm).
Distance d (fm)

27

32

39

51

72

100

Angle of deflection S ()

70

60

50

40

30

22

(i) Plot a graph of angle of deflection (y-axis) against distance (x-axis). Draw a
smooth curve through your points.

(5)
(ii) Use your graph to find the angle of deflection in degrees for a distance of
60 fm.

Angle = ..................................
(1)

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(d) Use values and ranges from the box to complete the sentences.
0

0 to 45

45 to 90

90

above 90

In Geiger and Marsdens experiment, when the distance, d, was very much
larger than the radius of the large particle, the angle of deflection
was .........................................
When the distance, d, was very much less than the radius of the large particle
the angle of deflection was .........................................
(2)
(e) (i) State the property of the smaller particle, apart from its charge, that must be kept
constant.
................................................................................................................................
(1)
(ii) Why did Geiger and Marsdens experiment take place in a vacuum?
................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................
(1)
(f) State the name of the model of the atom proposed by Rutherford as a result of this
experiment.
.......................................................................................................................................
(1)

Q11

(Total 15 marks)

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12. Elements with a higher atomic number than uranium can be formed artificially.
The table shows details of some of these elements.
Symbol

Atomic
number

neptunium

Np

93

plutonium

Pu

94

americium

Am

95

curium

Cm

96

Element

(a) It is possible to form a nucleus of plutonium by bombarding a nucleus of uranium

with an alpha particle.
(i) Complete the nuclear equation for this reaction
238
92 U

4
2!

241
94 Pu

............
X
............

(2)
(ii) Identify particle X.
................................................................................................................................
(1)
(b) Plutonium-241 formed in the reaction above then undergoes beta decay.
(i) Complete the nuclear equation for the beta decay of plutonium-241.
241
94 Pu

............
Y
............

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

"
(3)

(ii) Use the table to identify element Y.

................................................................................................................................
(1)
(Total 7 marks)

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Q12

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4.

(a) Name one source of background radiation.

.......................................................................................................................................
(1)
(b) The diagram shows a Geiger-Muller detector connected to a count rate meter.
The count rate from a radioactive source is measured with different absorbers
present.
detector

source

absorber

meter

The table shows the results.

Absorber

Average count rate (counts per second)

[after allowing for background radiation]

no absorber
[apart from 10 mm of air]

41

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24

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Explain how the results show that the source

(i) emits alpha (!) radiation,
................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................
(1)
(ii) emits beta (") radiation,
................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................
(1)
(iii) does not emit gamma (#) radiation.
................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................
(1)
(c) A source has a half-life of 15 minutes. When the activity of the source is measured it
is 400 megabecquerels (MBq).
Estimate the activity in MBq of the source after one hour.
Show your working.
.......................................................................................................................................
.......................................................................................................................................
Activity = ....................... MBq
(2)

Q4

(Total 6 marks)

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17. About 99% of natural uranium is uranium-238. The remaining 1% is uranium-235.

(a) Complete the sentences.
Uranium-238 and uranium-235 are .............................. of uranium. In their nuclei
there are the same number of .............................. and different numbers of
...............................
(2)
(b) The equation shows the decay of uranium-238.
238
92U

&

234
90Th

+ 42He

(i) What type of ionising radiation is emitted during this decay?

................................................................................................................................
(1)
(ii) How can you tell this from the equation?
................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................
(1)
(c) (i) Which sub-atomic particle can collide with a uranium-235 nucleus and cause it
to split?
................................................................................................................................
(1)
(ii) Name this process.
................................................................................................................................
(1)
(iii) Complete the sentences.
The products of the process are two daughter .............................. and a small
number of ............................... The process releases energy in the form of
.............................. energy of these products.
(3)

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(iv) What must happen for uranium-235 nuclei to be involved in a chain reaction?
................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................
(2)

Q17

(Total 11 marks)

TURN OVER FOR QUESTION 18

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