CHAPTER 10( RADIOACTIVE) PAPER 1

The diagram shows the path of radioactive rays, S and T.

Ray S

Ray T

Paper

Aluminium foil

Lead

Which of the following shows the type of ray S and ray T?

Ray S

A
B
C
D

Ray T

The table shows the half-lives of radioisotopes J, K, L and M.

Radioisotope

Half-life

8 days

56 days

5.27 years

6 hours

Which of the radioisotopes is most suitable as a tracer in the human body?

A
B
C
D

J
K
L
M

Cobalt-60 destroys cancer cells because it

A
B
C
D

has a long half-life

has no side effect
radiates gamma rays
decays spontaneously

2004
1

Which of the following pairs of atoms can act as an impurity to produce an n-type
semiconductor when doped into a pure semiconductor?
A
B
C
D

Boron and phosphorus

Arsenic and antimony
Indium and gallium
Antimony and gallium

The graph shows the decay curve of a radioactive material.

Activity/counts per minute

800

400

0
0

Time/minutes

15

If the initial activity of the radioactive material is 800 counts per minute, what is
the activity after 1 hour?
A
B
C
D
E

400
200
100
50
25
2

The diagram shows a series of radioactive decays for the nucleus of uranium-238 to
that of radium-226.
Nucleon number (A)
238

U
Th

234

Pa

Th

230
Ra

226
222
87

88

89

90

91

92

Proton
number (Z)

What is the number of alpha particles and beta particles emitted during this
process?
The number of alpha particles
A
B
C
D

The number of beta particles

2
3
4
1

3
2
1
1

Which of the following has a similar characteristic to -particles?

A
B
C
D

Proton
Electron
Helium nucleus
Electromagnetic wave

2005
1

The following equation represents the decay of a uranium nucleus.

238
92

230
Th
90

e-10

4
He
2

What are the values of x and y?

A
B
C
D

y
1
1
2
2

What is the radioisotope that can be used to determine the age of a fossil?
A
B
C
D

X
0
1
1
2

Radon-222
Uranium-238
Carbon-14
Iodine-131

Which of the following statements is a characteristic of gamma radiation?

A
B
C
D

It has a positive charge

It is an electromagnetic wave
It has a higher ionizing power than alpha radiation
It has a lower penetrating power than beta radiation

2006
4

The diagram shows three types of radioactive rays, X, Y and Z, directed towards a
sheet of paper, a sheet of aluminium and a sheet of lead.

X
Y
Z

Paper

Aluminium

Lead

Which of the following rays are represented by X, Y and Z?

X
A
B
C
D

Gamma
Alpha
Alpha
Beta

Beta
Gamma
Beta
Alpha

The initial mass of a radioactive element is 10 g and its half-life is 6 days.

Which of the following statements about the mass of the radioactive element is true?
A
B
C
D

Alpha
Beta
Gamma
Gamma

6 days earlier, the mass is 20 g

12 days earlier, the mass is 80 g
6 days later, the mass is 2.5 g
12 days later, the mass is 5.0 g

Which statement is true about the use of radioactive substance?

A
B
C
D

To determine the sex of a foetus

To determine the contents in the baggage of the air plane passengers
To detect leakage in underground pipes
To identify counterfeit bank-notes

2007
5

A negatively charged particle moves towards a nucleus of an atom.

Which of the following diagram shows the correct path of the particle ?

2.

Table 1 shows the half-lives of four types of liquid isotopes which radiate - particles.
6

Which of the following isotopes is suitable to detect blood clotting ?

A.
B.
C.
D.

P
Q
R
S

3. In the fission reaction for an atom of uranium-235, the energy produced is 2.9 x 10 -11J.
What is the total loss of mass in the reaction ?
A.
B.
C.
D.

3.22 x 10-28 kg
9.67 x 10-20 kg
2.61 x 106 kg
1.03 x 1019 kg

PAPER 2
2003 (SECTION C)
1

As a researcher, you are assigned to investigate the characteristics of a certain

radioactive isotope that could be used to detect the thickness of paper in a paper
factory.
(a) What does the term isotope mean?
(b) The table below shows the characteristics of five isotopes.
7

[ 1 mark]

Characteristics of isotope
Isotope
State of
Emmited
matter
radiation
Strontium-90
Solid
Beta

28 years

Penetrating
power
Medium

Cobalt-60

Solid

Gamma

5 years

High

Xenon-133

Gas

Beta

5 days

High

Water containing H-3

Liquid

Beta

12 years

Medium

Polonium-210

Solid

Alpha

140 days

Low

Half-life

Based on the table above;

(i)

Explain the suitable characteristics of the isotopes so that it can be

used to measure the thickness of paper in a paper industry.

(ii)

Select the most suitable isotope to be used in detecting the thickness

of paper in the factory and give your reasons.
[ 10 marks]

(c) Suggest briefly the arrangement of the paper thickness detector apparatus and
state how radioactivity is used to detect the thickness of the paper.
[ 3 marks]

(d) Sketch a graph of activity against time to illustrate how radioactive materials
decay. Use your graph to explain how the half-life is determined.
[ 4 marks]
(e) The half-life of cobalt-60 is 5 years.
Calculate the time taken for the activity of this isotope to decay to 12.5% of its
initial value.
[ 2 marks]

2004 (SECTION B)
1

Production of nuclear energy and detecting the volume of a material are two
examples of the use of radioactive materials in industry.
Table 2.1 shows an equation of a reaction and total atomic mass before and after a
nuclear fission.
Nuclear fission
Before reaction

1
239
Equation0
94

Pu

145
Ba
56

Total atomic mass

93
38

After reaction
1
0

Sr

Energy
+

240.06082 a.m.u

+ 2

239.85830 a.m.u

TABLE 2.1

Table 2.2 shows an equation of a reaction and total atomic mass before and after a
nuclear fusion.

Nuclear fusion
Before reaction
2
1

3
1

H
Equation

Total atomic
mass

4
2

He

1
0

n+

Energy

5.03013 a.m.u 9

After reaction
+

5.01043 a.m.u

TABLE 2.2
(a) (i) What is meant by a nuclear fission?

[ 1 mark]

(ii) Using only the information given in Table 2.1 and 2.2, compare nuclear
fission and nuclear fusion. Hence state the relationship between mass and
energy evolved.
[ 5 marks]
(b) Nuclear fission produces a chain reaction.
Describe how the chain reaction happens in a nuclear fission of an atom
uranium.
[ 4 marks]

(c) A paint-producing factory wants to develop a volume control system which can
ensure the quantity of paint in every tin is within a specific range. The tins of paint
are transported on a conveyor belt as shown in Figure 2.1. If the volume of the
paint is less or more than the specific range of volume, the tin will be separated
automatically.

Tin containing paint

Conveyor belt
10

FIGURE 2.1
Using your knowledge on radioactivity and Figure 2.1, explain;
(i) the radioactivity material and equipment required to develop the volume
control system,
(ii) how the equipment is assembled,
(iii) how the system works.
[10 marks]

2005 (SECTION A)
1 (a) A grazing pasture was polluted with radioactive waste from a nuclear reactor. A
researcher carried out a study on the radioactive content in the milk collected from
the cows in that area. He discovered the radioactive content in every litre of the milk
was 1600 counts per minute.
The researcher continued to measure the radioactivity in the milk from that area in 10
day intervals.
The results of the study are shown in Table 7.1.
11

Time/day
Radioactivity/
counts per
minute

10

20

30

40

1600

600

240

100

40

TABLE 7.1
(i) On the graph paper below, draw a graph of radioactivity against time.
[2 marks]

(ii) Using the graph in (a)(i), determine the half-life of the radioactive material in the
milk.
Show on the graph how you determined the half-life.
The half-life is . days.

[2 marks]

(iii) Milk is safe to drink if the radioactivity in every litre of the milk is not more than 50
counts per minute.

12

Using the half-life in (a)(ii), calculate the time when the milk from this area
becomes safe to drink.

[2 marks]
(b) In a nuclear reactor, radium-226 decays to become radon-222 by releasing one alpha
particle. This reaction experiences a mass defect.
(i)

The number 226 for radium is called its . number.

[1 mark]

(ii)

Complete the equation of the reaction by writing the appropriate number in the
boxes provided.
226
88

Ra

222

Rn

He

Energy

[1 mark]
(iii) The nuclear reaction of one nucleus of radium-226 experiences a mass defect of
-30
8.6818 10 kg.
Calculate the energy released in the nuclear reaction.
8

-1

The velocity of light is 3 10 m s

13

[ 2 mark]

2006 (SECTION C)
1

Radioactive material has some uses in the medical field such as in the investigation of
internal organs and in the sterilization of equipments.
(a) A doctor conducts an investigation on a patients kidney by injecting iodine-131
radioisotope, that has a half-life of 8 days, into the blood circulation.
A normal kidney can expel radioisotope in 20 minutes.
The presence of radioisotope in the left and right kidneys is shown in the graphs as in
Diagram 12.1.
Activity

Activity

Left Kidney

Right Kidney
DIAGRAM 12.1

(i) What is meant by half-life?

[1 mark]

(ii) Based on the graphs in Diagram 12.1, which kidney is not functioning properly?
Give one reason.
[2 marks]
(iii) The initial iodine-131 activity is 1600 counts per second.
Calculate the time taken for the iodine-131 activity to decrease to 100 counts per
second.
[2 marks]

(b) Medical equipment is sterilized by radiation from a radioactive source.

14

You are assigned to study the characteristics of some radioisotopes that are suitable
for use in sterilization of medical equipments.
Table 12 shows the characteristics of five radioisotopes.

Characteristics of isotope
Radioisotope
State of
matter
Solid

Types of ray
Beta

28 years

Cobalt-60

Solid

Gamma

5 years

Xenon-133

Gas

Beta

5 days

Iodine-131

Liquid

Gamma

8 days

Polonium-210

Solid

Alpha

Strontium-90

Half-life

140 days

TABLE 12
(i) Explain the suitability of the characteristics of the radioisotope to be used in
the sterilization of medical equipment.
[6 marks]
(ii) Determine the most suitable radioisotope to be used and give one reason for
your choice.
[2 marks]
(c) Gamma rays can produce an effect on photographic film.
Explain whether gamma rays is suitable to be used in taking photographs of an organ
in humans.
[2 marks]

(d) Beryllium-11 isotope emits two rays. The isotope is placed in front of a magnetic field
and the radioactive radiation path is shown in Diagram 12.2.

15

+
Radioactive
source

DIAGRAM 12.2

(i) Name both rays that are emitted by the isotope.

[2 marks]

(ii) Explain why the rays follow the path shown in Diagram 12.2.
[2 marks]

2007 (No Question)

QUESTION

16