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INTRODUCTION TO MEDICAL PHYSICS 1

Quiz #1
Solutions
September 30, 2016

This is a closed book examination. Adequate information is provided you to solve all problems. Be
sure to show all work, as partial credit is likely to be given. If you need extra paper, please use the
sheets affixed to this exam. Neatness counts!

1. (9 points) Identify each of the following quantities as stochastic (S) or deterministic (D):

Quantity S or D
The outcome of a coin flip (heads or tails)
S
The probability that a radionuclide will decay in a specified time
D
interval
Whether or not a specific patient will respond to a course of radiation
S
therapy
Whether or not a photon will interact with an atom of absorbing
S
material
The mean energy deposited by ionizing radiation per unit mass of
D
absorber
The activity of a radionuclide D
The energy deposited by a photon undergoing an interaction with an
S
atom of absorbing material
Energy imparted S
Air kerma D

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2. (6 points) Final grades for the 10 students in the Introduction to Medical Physics I class were as
follows: 92, 87, 85, 82, 80, 78, 76, 72, 69, 65.

a. What is the mean course grade?

Mean grade = 0.1*(92+87+85+82+80+78+76+72+69+65) = 0.1*786 = 78.6 79

b. What is the standard deviation of the course grades?

=1( )
=

We use n in the denominator, rather than n-1 because we are determining the standard
deviation of the entire population, rather than a sample.

SD = sqrt{[(92-78.6)2+(87-78.6)2+(85-78.6)2+(82-78.6) 2+(80-78.6) 2
+(78-78.6) 2+(76-78.6)2+(72-78.6)2+(69-78.6)2+(65-78.6)2]/10}
= 7.95

c. What is the standard deviation of the mean course grade?

SD(mean) = SD/sqrt(10) = 2.51

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3. (9 points) Given the following Gedanken (thought) experiments, identify the radiometric quantity
that is being measured:

a. You have a box of known volume as pictured below:

An x-ray beam, emanating from S, passes through the diaphragm, producing ionizations
inside the box. Electrons, produced in the shaded region as a result of ionizations, are
attracted to the plate C, where the number of electrons striking the plate is determined. What
radiometric quantity is being measured?

Answer: ______exposure____________________

b. The number of ionizations measured in the previous section is multiplied by the average
amount of energy transferred to the air per ionization. What radiometric quantity is being
estimated?

Answer: ______air kerma___________________

c. A vial of known dimensions contains a ferrous sulfate solution of known concentration.

Radiation impinging on the vial causes some of the ferrous sulfate solution to convert to
ferric sulfate. We know that 15.4 molecules of ferric sulfate are produced for every 100 eV
of energy absorbed. The amount of ferric sulfate in the vial can be measured by determining
the attenuation of light. What radiometric quantity is being measured?

Answer: ______dose_____________________

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4. (2 points) The difference between kerma and dose is that

a. Dose includes energy transferred as a result of secondary interactions whereas kerma

includes energy transferred only in primary interactions
b. Dose is always somewhat greater than kerma
c. Dose is independent of mass of the target materials whereas kerma is directly proportional to
mass
d. Kerma must be measured using an ionization chamber whereas dose can be measured using a
variety of methods.

5. (4 points) What two principles of classical physics does the Bohr model of the atom violate?

a. Electrons repel, so they should not stay in orbit

b. Electrons emit energy when they move in a circular orbit

6. (4 points) What two pieces of evidence appear to validate the shell model of the nucleus?

a. Existence of discrete energy transitions between energy levels

b. Stability of certain nuclei suggesting filled nuclear shells

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7. (8 points) Sketch a plot of binding energy per nucleon as a function of mass number

Binding energy per nucleon as a function of mass number

20.0

Binding Energy (MeV) per nucleon 18.0

16.0

14.0

12.0

10.0

8.0

6.0

4.0

2.0

0.0
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

Mass Number (A)

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8. (7 points) An electron has energy of 10 MeV. Calculate the speed of this electron relative to the
speed of light.

Total energy is given by = 2

0 2
=
1 2

0
=
1 2

0
1 2 =

0 2
2
1 =

0 2
2 = 1

0 2
= 1

Since E0 = 0.511 MeV, E0/E = 0.0511, and = 0.9987.

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9. (8 points) Radiation energy spectra can be categorized into two main groups: those that consist of
one or more discrete energies (line spectra) and those that consist of a broad distribution of energies
(continuous spectra). For each of the radiation sources listed below, indicate whether line or
continuous is a better description:

Radiation Source Spectra

Line Continuous
a) Alpha particles X
b) Beta particles X
c) Gamma rays X
d) Characteristic x-rays X
e) Conversion electrons X
f) Auger electrons X
g) Bremsstrahlung X
h) Annihilation radiation X

10. (12 points) Match the following descriptions with the decay process that best fits the description
(Some decay processes may be used more than once, and not all decay processes may be used):

1) alpha decay
2) beta-minus emission
3) positron emission
4) isomeric transition
5) electron capture
6) internal conversion

a. ___3____ Ultimately results in emission of two 511 keV gamma rays

b. ___4____ Delivers single medium-energy gamma rays that are useful in imaging
c. ___5____ Delivers low-energy x-rays that are useful in radiation therapy
d. ___5____ Process competes with positron emission
e. ___1____ Occurs most likely in very large nucleus
f. ___3____ Requires 1.02 MeV threshold energy

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11. (3 points) Which has the higher kinetic energy: a conversion electron from the L shell or a
conversion electron from the M shell, if both arise from the same nuclear excitation energy?

Because the binding energy of the M-shell electron is less than that of the L-shell electron, the M-
shell electron will have a greater kinetic energy.

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12. (10 points) 16 is irradiated in a reactor.

a. What isotope of which element do you expect to create?

Irradiating an isotope in a nuclear reactor would add neutrons to the product. Hence the
most likely product would be 3516S.

b. What isotope of which element would you expect this produced isotope to decay to?
______________________

(Potentially helpful data: 13Al, 14Si, 15P, 16S, 17Cl, 18A)

Because the produced isotope is rich in neutrons, it would likely decay via beta decay to
form 35
17Cl.

13. (4 points) Why is tungsten desirable for the anode of a conventional x-ray tube? Why is
molybdenum desirable for the anode of an x-ray tube used for mammography?

Tungsten has high Z and high melting point

Characteristic x-rays from molybdenum are at an appropriate energy for mammography

14. (6 points) Characteristic x-rays are produced when an outer shell electron falls into an inner shell
vacancy. Give three mechanisms for producing an inner shell vacancy.

a. Photoelectric effect

b. Electron capture

c. Electron collisions (also internal conversion)

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15. (4 points) In the figures below, two x-ray tube spectra are compared. What single parameter was
changed between the acquisitions of the spectra?

a. filtration
b. kVp
c. mAs
d. target material

16. (4 points) In the figures below, two x-ray tube spectra are compared. What single parameter was
changed between the acquisitions of the spectra?

a. filtration
b. kVp
c. mAs
d. target material
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Useful physical constants:

Speed of light in vacuum c 2.997925 108 m s-1

Avogadros number NA 6.022045 1023 mol-1
Plancks constant h 6.626176 10-34 J s
Electron charge e 1.60218 10-19 C
Electron mass m0 9.109534 10-31 kg = 0.00055 amu
Proton mass 1.672649 10-27 kg = 1.00727 amu
Neutron mass 1.674954 10-27 kg = 1.00866 amu
Average energy W 33.85 J C-1 = 33.85 eV IP-1
deposited in air by
liberated charge
Density of air 1.293 kg m-3 (0C, 101.3 kPa)
Density of lead 11.34 g cm-3
Roentgen R 2.58 10-4 C kg-1

Energy conversion factors:

1 amu = 931.481 MeV

1 eV = 1.602 10-19 J

Some binding energies:

Shell Hydrogen Tin Tungsten Lead

K -13.50 eV -29,200 kV -69,500 eV -88,005 eV
L -3.40 eV -4,180 eV -12,100 eV -15,861 eV
M -1.50 eV -2,820 eV -3,851 eV
N -0.90 eV -594 eV -892 eV
O -0.54 eV -76 eV -147 eV

Energy considerations in Compton scatter:

(1 cos )
E = h
1 + (1 cos )
1
h' = h
1 + (1 cos )

=
hc
(1 cos )
mo c 2

Thomson scatter cross section:

ds ro 2
=
d 2
(
1 + cos 2
m2
)
e steradian

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A useful integral:
sin x dx = - cos x
Energy transfer in a billiard-ball collision:

2 Mt Mi
E t = Ei
(M t + M i )2
i - incident particle
t - target

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This page may be used for calculations. If you wish me to consider material on this page for partial
credit, please indicate which problem(s) are being solved.

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