Science Department

Topic 7.1 – Discrete Energy & Radioactivity

Topic 7.2 – Nuclear Reactions
12 Grade (Physics SL)
th

Teacher: Anan Barghouthy 17/11/2021

Name: _______________________

Part I: Choose the correct answer for each of the following

1. The binding energy of a nucleus is defined to be the

A. energy released when a nucleus is formed from its individual constituents.
B. energy released when the nucleus is separated into its individual constituents.
C. total energy of the nucleus.
D. total energy of the protons inside the nucleus.

2. A radioactive isotope has an initial activity A0 and a half-life of 1 day. The graph shows
how the activity A varies with time.

A0
The ratio A2 is equal to which of the following?
A1 A0 A0 A3
A3 B. A3 C. 2 D. 3
A.
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3. The binding energy per nucleon of the nucleus 3 Li is approximately 5 MeV. The total
energy required to completely separate the nucleons of this nucleus is approximately
A. 15 MeV B. 20 MeV
C. 35 MeV D. 50 MeV

4. Which of the following is true about beta minus (β–) decay?

A. An antineutrino is absorbed.
B. The charge of the daughter nuclide is less than that of the parent nuclide.
C. An antineutrino is emitted.

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 D. The mass number of the daughter nuclide is less than that of the parent nuclide.

5. Two samples of radioactive substances X and Y have the same initial activity. The half-
life of X is T and the half-life of Y is 3T. After a time of 3T the ratio
activity of substance X
activity of substance Y is
1 1
A. 8 B. 4 C. 4 D. 8

Part II: Answer each of the following questions

6. This question is about the unified atomic mass unit and a nuclear reaction.
(a) Define the term unified atomic mass unit. (1)

(b) The mass of a nucleus of rutherfordium-254 is 254.1001 u.

Calculate the mass in GeV c–2. (1)

7. This question is about nuclear fission.

(a) A possible fission reaction is

235
92 U  01 n  92 141 1
36 Kr  56 Ba  x 0 n .
(i) State the value of x. (1)

(ii) Show that the energy released when one uranium nucleus undergoes fission in the
reaction in (a) is about 2.8 × 10-11 J. (4)
Mass of neutron = 1.00867 u
Mass of U-235 nucleus = 234.99333 u
Mass of Kr-92 nucleus = 91.90645 u
Mass of Ba-141 nucleus = 140.88354 u

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8. This question is about radioactive decay and binding energy.
(a) Describe what is meant by radioactive decay. (2)

(b) A nucleus of potassium-40 (K-40) undergoes radioactive decay to a nucleus of

argon-40 (Ar-40). In the reaction equation below, identify the proton number Z of
argon and the particle x.
(2)
40
19 K  40Z Ar     x

Z: ....................................................................
x: ....................................................................

(c) The mass of a K-40 nucleus is 37 216 MeV c -2. Determine the binding energy per
nucleon of K-40. (3)

(d) State why the binding energy of Ar-40 is greater than that of K-40. (1)

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9. A parallel beam of visible light is shone through monatomic hydrogen gas.
The radiation emerging from the gas is analysed by comparing the incident and
emerging intensities at various wavelengths. It is found that at a wavelength of 490 nm
the intensity of the emergent beam is greatly reduced.
The diagram shows some of the electron energy states of the hydrogen atom where n is
the quantum number of the energy level.

(a) Calculate the energy, in eV, of a photon of light of wavelength 490 nm. (2)

(b) Use your answer in (a) and the energy level diagram to explain the reduction in
intensity of the emergent beam. (4)

10. This question is about decay of radium-226.

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 (a) A nucleus of the isotope radium-226 (Ra) undergoes α-decay with a half-life of
1.6 × 103 yr to form a nucleus of radon (Rn).
Define the terms isotope and half-life. (2)

Isotope:

Half-life:

(b) Using the grid below, sketch a graph to show how the activity A of a sample of
radium-226 (Ra) would be expected to vary with time t over a period of about 5.0 ×
103 yr.
The activity of the sample at time t = 0 is A0. (3)

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 (c) The nuclear reaction equation for the decay of radium-226 (Ra) may be written as
226
88 Ra → Rn+ α

The following data are available.

mass of Ra = 226.0254 u
mass of Rn = 222.0175 u
mass of α = 4.0026 u

Show that the energy released in the decay of a Ra nucleus is 4.94 MeV. (2)

11. This question is about line spectra.

(a) The table below gives information relating to three of the wavelengths in the line
spectrum of atomic hydrogen.

Wavelength / × 10−9m Photon energy / × 10−19 J

1880 1.06
656 3.03
486 4.09

Deduce that the photon energy for the wavelength of 486×10-9 m is 4.09×10-19 J.
(2)

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 (b) The diagram below shows two of the energy levels of the hydrogen atom, using data
from the table above. An electron transition between these levels is also shown.

(i) On the diagram above, construct the other energy level needed to produce the
energy changes shown in the table above.
(1)

(ii) Draw labelled arrows to represent the energy changes for the two other wavelengths
shown in the table above. (1)

End of Questions

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