Atomic Physics

5 Atomic Physics
1. Radioactivity
2. The nuclear atom

1. In a fission reactor , which particle causes a C. have a short half-life

Uranium-235 nucleus to split ? D. make the paper radioactive
A. alpha-particle
B. gamma ray 5. Two types of emission from a radioactive
C. neutron source are separated by passing them
D. proton through a magnetic field.
The deflections are shown in the diagram.
2. A radioactive isotope has a half-life of 2
minutes.
What can be deduced from this statement ?
1 1
A. after minute, of the isotope remains
2 4
1
B. after 1 minute, of the isotope remains
4
1 What are the emissions P and Q ?
C. after 4 minutes, of the isotope remains
4
D. after 4 minutes, none of the isotope
remains

3. The results of the Geiger-Marsden scattering

experiment provided evidence for the
presence of the nucleus with in the atom.
What were scattered in this experiment ?
A. alpha-particles 6. A narrow beam of alpha-particles is fired at a
B. beta-particles thin piece of gold foil.
C. gamma rays Which is the final direction of the largest
D. gold nuclei number of alpha-particles ?

4. The diagram shows how thickness of paper is

measured during manufacture.
If the sheet is too thick, fewer beta-particles
can reach the detector.

7. Ra decays with a half-life of 1600 s.

A source of alpha-particles is not used for this Rn decays with a half-life of 52 s.
purpose because alpha-particles Po decays with a half-life of 9.1 s
A. are all stopped by the paper Pb decays with a half-life of 10.6 s.
B. are too dangerous to those working near by

IGCSE Physics 1 Namrata David Publications

Atomic Physics

The changing count rate for one of these 9. Which of the equations shows a nuclear
radioactive nuclides is shown in the graph. fission reaction ?

10. Between 1909 and 1911, Geiger and Marsden

From the half-life shown by the graph, which
was the decaying radioactive nuclide ?
A. Ra C. Po
B. Rn D. Pb
8. A radioactive source is placed 3 cm from a
Geiger-Muller tube in air. The average count
rate is 742 counts/minute.
carried out experiments in which alpha
particles were fired at metal foil. Most of the
alpha particles passes through the foil with
small deflections, but some were deflected
through a large angle.
There results suggest that
A. atoms contain clouds of electrons through
which some alpha particles cannot pass
B. atoms contain neutrons that alpha
particles bounces off
C. atoms have positive and negative charges
spread throughout their volume
D. atoms have positive charges
concentrated in a small volume
11. A student investigates the emission from an
unknown radioactive source. The source is 10
cm in front of a detector. A strong magnetic
field between the source and the detector is
then switched on.

Then, in three experiments, measurements

are taken with sheets of different materials
placed between the source and the tube. The The results are shown.
results are recorded in the table.
Material of sheet Thin Aluminium Thick
between source card foil lead
and tube
Average count 273 275 68
rate/counts per
minute Which radioactive source produced these
Which types of radiation does the source emit results ?
?
A. alpha and beta only
B. alpha and gamma only
C. beta and gamma only
D. alpha, beta and gamma

IGCSE Physics 2 Namrata David Publications

Atomic Physics

12. A detector is used to measure the count-rate

near a radioactive source. The reading is
4000 counts per minute. After 30 minutes the
count-rate has fallen 500 counts per minute.

What is the half life of the radioactive source ?

You may ignore the effects of background
radiation.
17. Which of the following occurs in the decay of
A . 3 minutes
a radioactive nucleus ?
B. 5 minutes
A. the nucleus absorbs another nucleus
C. 6 minutes
B. the nucleus absorbs at least one form of
D. 10 minutes
radiation
C. the nucleus always splits into two equal
13. Which conclusion can be drawn from the
fragments
Giger-Marsden alpha-particle scattering
D. the nucleus emits at least one form of
experiment ?
radiation
A. A positive charge is speared throughout
the atom.
18. The table shows the possible properties of
B. Electrons are arranged in orbits
radioactive emissions.
C. Electrons are negatively charged
Which emission could be a beta-particle ?
D. There is a dense in the atom.

14. Which statement is true for all three types of

radioactive emission ( alpha-particles, beta-
particles, and gamma rays) ?
A. they are completely absorbed by a thin
aluminium sheet
B. they are deflected by electric fields
C. they emit light
D. they ionize gases
19. A pupil investigates the penetrating power of
15. The diagram shows one type of radiation radiation from a radioactive source.
passing between the poles of a strong magnet
and being detected.

The table shows her results.

Which type of radiation is being detected ?

A. alpha-particles only
B. beta-particles only
C. gamma-rays only
D. alpha-particles and beta-particles The source emit
A. alpha and beta-particles
48 B. beta-particles and gamma-rays
16. A nuclide has the notation 23 X. C. beta-particles only
Which line in the table describes a different D. gamma-rays only
isotope of this nuclide ?

IGCSE Physics 3 Namrata David Publications

Atomic Physics

20. Which particle is positively charged ? 25. When dealing with radioactive substances
A. alpha-particle there are possible dangers.
B. beta-particle Which statement is correct ?
C. electron A. beta-particles can pass through skin and
D. neutron damage body cells
B. gamma-radiation is more dangerous than
21. Atoms P and Q are isotopes. alpha or beta because it has longer half-
How does the composition of neutral atom P life
compare with neutral atom Q ? C. materials that emit only alpha-particles
must be kept in thick lead containers
D. radioactive materials are safe to handle
after two half-lives

26. A nucleus consists of 90 protons and 144

neutrons.
After emitting two beta-particles followed by
an alpha-particle, this nucleus has
A. 86 protons and 140 neutrons
B. 86 protons and 142 neutrons
22. X, Y and Z are three types of radiation. C. 90 protons and 140 neutrons
X is almost completely absorbed by 5 cm lead D. 90 protons and 142 neutrons
but not by 5 mm of aluminium.
Y is almost completely absorbed by 5 mm 2 3
27. Deuterium 1 H and tritium 1H are two
aluminium but not by thin card
Z is absorbed by thin card. isotopes of hydrogen.
What are X Y and Z.
X Y Z Compared to a deuterium atom, how many
A alpha beta gamma protons and neutrons does a tritium atom
B beta alpha gamma have ?
C gamma alpha beta
D gamma beta alpha

23. The nucleus of a nitrogen atom can be

14
represented as 7 N.
The nucleus of this atom consists of
A. 7 protons and 7 electrons
B. 7 protons and 7 neutrons 230
C. 14 protons and 7 electrons 28. A nucleus is represented by 91 Z. It emits one
D. 14 protons and 7 neutrons alpha-particle and then one beta-particle.
What is the resulting nucleus X ?
24. Three nuclei P,Q and R have proton numbers( A.
226
X C.
226
X
88 90
atomic numbers) and nucleon numbers (
226 230
mass numbers) as shown. B. 89 X D. 89 X

242
29. A nuclide of the element plutonium is 94 Pu.
What is the number of neutrons in its nucleus
?
A. 94 C. 242
B. 148 D. 336
Which nuclei are isotopes of the same
element ? 30. Which statement defines isotopes ?
A. P and Q only A. two(or more) nuclides which have the
B. P and R only same number of protons but different
C. Q and R only number of electrons
D. P,Q and R

IGCSE Physics 4 Namrata David Publications

Atomic Physics

B. two(or more) nuclides which have the D. two(or more) nuclides which have the
same number of neutrons but different same number of protons but different
number of electrons number of neutrons
C. two(or more) nuclides which have the
same number of neutrons but different
number of protons

31. The diagram shows the apparatus used in an experiment in which barriers of various materials are
placed in turn between different radioactive sources and a detector.

The table shows the count rates recorded by the detector for four sources.
Which source emits alpha-particles only ?

238
35. The uranium nucleus 92 U emits an alpha-
32. A nucleus of sodium, Na has 11 protons and
12 neutrons. particle to become thorium, which then emits
Which symbol represents this nucleus ? a beta-particle to become protactinium.
11 12
A. 12 Na B. 11 Na
23 23
C. 11 Na D. 12 Na

33. The half-life of a radioactive material is 24

years. What is the proton number ( atomic number)
The activity of a sample falls to a fraction of its of protactinium ?
initial value after 72 years. A. 95 C. 90
What is the fraction ? B. 91 D. 89
A. 1/3 C. 1/6
B. 1/4 D. 1/8 36. The half-life of a radio isotope is 2400 years.
The activity of a sample is 720 counts/s.
34. Which is the correct comparison of the How long will it take for the activity to fall to 90
penetrating power and ionizing power of counts/s ?
alpha-particles and gamma radiation ? A. 300 years
B. 2400 years
C. 7200 years
D. 19 200 years

37. The neutral atoms of all isotopes of the same

element contains the same number of
A. electrons and protons
B. electrons and neutrons
C. neutrons only
D. neutrons and protons

IGCSE Physics 5 Namrata David Publications

Atomic Physics

38. What is a beta-particle ? 44. A small amount of a radioactive isotope

A. a helium nucleus contains 72 billion unstable nuclei. The half-
B. a high-energy electron life of the isotope is 4 hours.
C. four protons How many unstable nuclei would remain after
D. two neutrons 12 hours ?
A. 6 billion
39. The diagram shows a radioactivity B. 9 billion
experiment. C. 18 billion
D. 24 billion

39
45. How many nucleons are in a nucleus of 19 K
?
A. 19 C. 39
B. 20 D. 58

When a piece of paper is used as the 46. Which type of radiation has the greatest
absorber, the count rate drops to the ionizing effect ?
background count rate. A.  - particle
What radiation is the source emitting ? B.  - particle
A. alpha only
C.  -rays
B. beta only
C. gamma only D. all have the same ionizing effect
D. alpha, beta and gamma
47. A powder contains 400 mg of a radioactive
22 material that emits  - particles.
40. 10 Ne represents an atom of neon.
The half-life of the material is 5 days.
How many neutrons does it have ? What mass of that material remains after 10
A. 10 C. 22 days ?
B. 12 D. 32 A. 0 mg C. 100 mg
B. 40 mg D. 200 mg
41. Which type of radiation can be stopped by a
sheet of paper ? 48. In the symbol below, A is the nucleon number
A.  - particles and Z is the proton number.
B.  -particles
C.  -rays
D. X-rays What is represented by the symbol ?
A. an electron
42. The half-life of a radioactive substance is 5 B. a neutron
hours. A sample is tested and found to C. a nuclide
contain 0.48 g of the substance. D. an X-ray
How much of the substance was present in
the sample 20 hours before the sample was 49. The diagram shows five atoms in a
tested ? radioactive substance. The atoms each give
A. 0.03 g C. 1.92 g out an  -particle.
B. 0.12 g D. 7.68 g

43. Which line correctly describes  -particles ?

IGCSE Physics 6 Namrata David Publications

Atomic Physics

Atom 1 is the first to give out a particle. Atom How much of the substance was present in
3 is the second to give out a particle. the sample 20 hours before the sample was
Which atom will give out the next particle ? tested ?
A. atom 2 A. 0.03 g C. 1.92 g
B. atom 4 B. 0.12 g D. 7.68 g
C. atom 5
D. impossible to tell 54. The data below relates to the nucleus of a
particular neutral atom of nitrogen.
50. A Geiger counter detects radiation from Proton number Z=7
radioactive sources. Neutron number A = 17
A radioactive source is inside a thick Which row represents the correct number of
aluminium container as shown. neutrons and electrons in this atom ?

55. A radioactive source emits radiation that can

Which type of radiation from this source is pass through a sheet of paper but not through
being detected ? thick aluminium.
A.  - particles
B.  - particles
C.  -rays
D. radio waves

51. The nucleus of a neutral atom of lithium is

7
represented by 3 Li.
How many protons, electrons and neutrons
does the atom contain ?
What does this show about the radiation ?
A. it is alpha-particle
B. it is beta-particles
C. it is gamma-rays
D. it is a mixture of alpha-particles
and gamma rays

56. A sample of a radioactive isotope is decaying.

52. What are the most penetrating and the least
penetrating types of radiation ?
Which atoms will decay first ?
A. impossible to know, because radioactive
decay is random
B. impossible to know, unless the age of the
material is known
C. atoms near the centre, because they are
surrounded by more atoms
D. atoms near the surface, because the
radiation can escape more easily

57. Which line in the table describes the nature of

an alpha-particle and gamma-ray ?
53. The half-life of a radioactive substance is 5
hours. A sample is tested and found to
contain 0.48 g of the substance.

IGCSE Physics 7 Namrata David Publications

Atomic Physics

of the storeroom. The radiation was emitted

by the radioactive material.

58. A radioactive nucleus R decays with the

emission of a beta particle as shown.
Which type of radiation was being detected ?
Which equation is correct ? A.  - particles
A. x = p B.  - particles
B. y = q C.  -rays
C. p = x – 1
D. X-rays
D. q = y – 1
14
59. Which line in the table shows the structure of 63. How many neutrons are in a nucleus of 6 C?
4
the nucleus of a helium atom 2 He ? A. 0 C. 8
B. 6 D. 14

64. A radioactive source emits radiations that can

pass through a sheet of paper but not through
thick aluminium.

60. A nucleus of substance X has the symbol

26
12 X.
How many electrons orbit around the nucleus
of a neutral atom of substance X ?
A. 12 C. 26 What does this show about the radiation ?
B. 14 D. 38 A. it is alpha-particles
B. it is beta-particles
61. The equation shows the decay of the nuclide C. it is gamma-rays
X. D. it is a mixture of alpha and
gamma particles

65. An unstable nucleus has 145 neutrons and 92

What are the values of P and Q ?
protons. It emits a beta-particle.
How many neutrons and protons does the
nucleus have after emitting the beta-particle ?

62. During a fire in a laboratory store room, some

radioactive material was spilled. A firefighter
detected radiation through the lead-lined walls

IGCSE Physics 8 Namrata David Publications

Atomic Physics

66. Which particles are found in the nucleus of an

atom ?
A. neutrons only
B. neutrons and protons only
C. protons and electrons only
D. protons, electrons and neutrons

67. Which line in the table describes the nature of

an alpha-particle and of gamma-ray ?
Which types of radiation can pass through the
paper ?
A alpha and beta particles only
B. alpha particles and gamma rays only
C. beta particles and gamma rays only
D. alpha and beta particles and gamma rays

72. An atom of the element lithium has a nucleon

68. The count rates of four radioactive sources
were measured at the same time on three
consecutive days.
Which source has a half-life of two days ?
number of 7 and a proton number of 3.
Which diagram represents a neutral atom of
lithium ?

69. Which statement is true of all neutral atoms ?

A. the number of electrons equals the
number of nucleons.
B. The number of neutrons equals the
number of protons
C. The number of nucleons equals the
number of neutrons
D. The number of protons equals the number
of electrons

70. There are three nuclides of hydrogen.

Which of these nuclides have the same

number of protons in their nuclei ?
A. 1 and 2 only
B. 2 and 3 only
C. All of them
D. None of them

71. A sheet of paper is placed between a

radioactive source and a detector.

IGCSE Physics 9 Namrata David Publications