Radioactivity Nuclear Physics

Tutor: Joel Prince

1.

This question is about the production of nuclear energy and its transfer to electrical energy.
(a)

When a neutron collides with a nucleus of uranium-235 ( 235

92 U) the following reaction
can occur.
235
92 U

(i)

1
0n

144
56 Ba

90
36 Kr

+ 2 01 n

State the name given to this type of nuclear reaction.

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(1)

(ii)

Energy is liberated in this reaction. In what form does this energy appear?
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(1)

(b)

Describe how the neutrons produced in this reaction may initiate a chain reaction.
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(1)

The purpose of a nuclear power station is to produce electrical energy from nuclear energy. The
diagram below is a schematic representation of the principle components of a nuclear reactor
pile used in a certain type of nuclear power station.

control rods

uranium ore fuel rods

graphite block
(moderator)

The function of the moderator is to slow down neutrons produced in a reaction such as that
described in part (a) above.
(c)

(i)

Explain why it is necessary to slow down the neutrons.

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(3)

(ii)

Explain the function of the control rods.

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(2)

(d)

Describe briefly how the energy produced by the nuclear reactions is extracted from the
reactor pile and then transferred to electrical energy.
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(4)
(Total 12 marks)

2.

This question is about radioactive decay.

Cerium-145 is a radioactive isotope with a half-life of 3.0 minutes. It emits particles and also
anti-neutrinos.
(a)

Give one reason why the existence of the neutrino was postulated in order to explain
-decay.
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(1)

(b)

State the class of particle to which the neutrino belongs.

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(1)

(c)

Determine the probability for the decay of a Cerium-145 nucleus in a time of 1.0 minute.
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(2)

(d)

Determine the time taken for the activity of a particular sample of Cerium-145 to be
1
reduced to a fraction
of its initial activity.
10
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(2)
(Total 6 marks)

3.

A sample of cobalt-60 has an activity of 3.0 105 Bq. The half-life of cobalt-60 is 5.3 years.
(a)

Define half-life.
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(1)

(b)

Determine the decay constant of cobalt-60.

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(2)

(c)

Calculate the time taken for the activity of the cobalt-60 to be reduced to 1.0 105 Bq.
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(2)
(Total 5 marks)

4.

The decay constant in radioactive decay is defined as

A.

the probability of decay per unit time of a nucleus.

B.

the probability of decay of a nucleus.

C.

ln 2
where T 1 is the half-life.
the constant
T 1
2
2

D.

the constant in the radioactive decay equation N = N0et.

(1)

5.

This question is about the radioactive decay of potassium-40.

A nucleus of the nuclide
(argon-40).
(a)

40
19 K

(potassium-40) decays to a stable nucleus of the nuclide

40
18 Ar

State the names of the two particles emitted in this decay.

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(2)

(b)

A sample of the isotope potassium-40 initially contains 1.5 1016 atoms. On average, 16
nuclei in this sample of the isotope undergo radioactive decay every minute.
Deduce that the decay constant for potassium-40 is 1.8 1017 s1.
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(3)

(c)

Determine the half-life of potassium-40.

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(1)
(Total 6 marks)

6.

The nucleus
decay are

30
P
15

undergoes radioactive decay to the nucleus

A.

a positron and an antineutrino.

B.

an electron and an antineutrino.

C.

a positron and a neutrino.

D.

an electron and a neutrino.

30
Si.
14

The particles emitted in the

(1)