Solutions to Nuclear Physics

Section 1 The Nuclear Atom and Energy from Nuclear Reactions

Level 1
1. A
A
For Z X we have A representing mass number and Z the atomic no, There are 28 electrons, 28 protons and 32
(= 60 28) neutrons

2. C
Most of the alpha particles suffer little deflection and very few (about 1 in 8000) suffer deflections of more than 90
o
.

3. A
Alpha particles and gold nuclei are both positively charged and so alpha particles will experience a force of
repulsion and be deflected. Alpha particles that pass closer to the nucleus experience a greater force of repulsion
and will suffer greater deflection.

4 D
A
For Z X we have A representing mass number and Z the atomic no, There are Z electrons, Z protons and (A
Z) neutrons,. Thus mass defect = Z mp + (A Z) mn M

5 C
According to Conservation of Energy-Mass, the sum of rest masses of nitrogen and helium nuclei and KE of
reactants = sum of the rest masses of oxygen and hydrogen nuclei and KE of the products. The sum of the rest
masses of reactants exceeds the sum of rest masses of the products by 0.001 u. Hence the KE of reactants
should exceed the KE of products.

6 C
sum of Binding Energies of reactants = 2(2 x 1.09) = 4.36 MeV
sum of the Binding Energy of products= 3 (2.54) =7.62 MeV, as BE energy of neutron= 0
Sum of energy released in the reactions = 7.62 4.36 = 3.26 MeV

7 C.
-13
The mass in the excited state is larger than 59.9308 u by the mass equivalent of 2.1310 J.
-13 -13 8 2 -30 -3
Mass equivalent of 2.13 x 10 J, m = (2.13 x 10 ) / (3 x 10 ) = 2.3667 x 10 Kg = 1.4257 x 10 u
-3
Mass of the nucleus in the excited state = 59.9308 + 1.4257 x 10 = 59.9322 u

8. A
2 1
+
1
1 H 1 H + 0 n
Min energy of
1 1 2
= (rest mass of 1 H + rest mass of 0 n - rest mass of 1 H ) 1.66 x 10-27 (c2)
-27 8 2
= [(1.0072765 + 1.0086649) - 2.0135532] x 1..66 x 10 x (3 x 10 ) J
= 2.228 MeV

9. D
Sum of atomic masses of reactants > atomic mass of product => reaction will result in a release of energy.

10. E.
LHS of equation is the total energy released. This energy manifests as the ke of the products and energy of
gamma radiation.

11. (a) Isotopes are atoms of an element with the same number of protons but different number of neutrons in the
nucleus.
(b) Binding energy is the amount of energy needed to separate a nucleus into its constituent nucleons.
2
BE = mass defect c
-27 -27 -27 2
= (1.67264810 + 1.67495410 3.34427510 )c
-13
= 2.990159 10 J

12. (a) Describe the Rutherford alpha-particle scattering experiment.

1
13. (a) Hydrogen-1 nucleus
2
(b)(i) (mass of products minus mass of reactants) c
(b)(ii) The reaction results in an increase in mass. The alpha-particle possessed kinetic energy that contributed to
the increase in mass.
(b)(iii) That would mean that the incoming alpha-particle must possess more energy so that the products can have
kinetic energy too. The momentum of the system must also be conserved.

14. (b)(i) X: 138, Y: 40

2 -11
(ii) Energy released = (235.0439u + 1.0087u 137.9603u 97.9197u) c = 2.58 10 J
(iii) gamma radiation
(iv)1. By the principle of conservation of momentum, 0 = mTevTe + mZrvZr
In terms of magnitude, mTevTe = mZrvZr
vZr/vTe = mTe/mZr = 137.9603u/97.9197u = 1.41
2 2
(iv)2. KEZr/KETe = 0.5mZrvZr /0.5mTevTe = 1.41
-11 -11
(v) Since total KE is 2.310 J, KEZr = 1.41( 2.3 1011 ) = 1.3410 J.
2.41
2 -11
vZr = 2(1.3410 )/97.9197u
7 -1
vZr = 1.29 10 m s
(vi) No external force and negligible neutron speed.

15. (i) Binding energy is the energy needed to separate a nucleus into its individual nucleons. The larger the binding
energy per nucleon the more stable a nucleus is.
(ii) Energy released = BE of products BE of reactants
= [(8.4)(140) + (8.6)(94) (7.3)(235)] MeV
= 269 MeV

Level 2
16. B
Loss in total mass for 1 reaction = 0.018884 u
-12
Energy from 1 reaction = 2.82110 J.
2000 kW h = 20000003600 J.
-21
Number of reactions = 20000003600/2.82110

17. (a)(i) 1 proton, 1 neutron

BE per nucleon

Deuterium
No of nucleons

2
(a)(ii)
2 -12
(b)(i) Energy released = [2(2.01419u) 4.00277u]c = 3.83 10 J
-12 -12
(b)(ii) Amount of useful energy per reaction = 0.52 3.82610 = 1.9910 J
Number of reactions from 2.00 kg of deuterium = 2.00
2( 2.01419u )
-12 2.00 14
Amount of useful energy = 1.9910 = 5.9510 J
2( 2.01419u )
14 6
Amount of time the fuel will last = 5.9510 /5.0010 = 3.77 years

18. (a)(i) 56 protons, 85 neutrons

2 -11
(a)(ii) Energy = (mass of reactants mass of products)c = 3.24 10 J
-5 -27 20
(b) Number of reactions per second = 4.410 /390.1910 = 1.13 10
20 -11 9
Useful power output = 0.33 1.1310 3.2410 = 1.2110 W

2
Section 2 Radioactive Decay

Level 1
1. D
- radiation = helium nuclei, - radation = electrons; -radiation = e m waves

2. B
Decrease in mass no. = 235 207 = 28; decrease in atomic no. = 92 -82 = 10
-particle =
4
2 He and - particle =
0
1

3. C
Total energy release in the nuclear reaction is shared between the products as KE and the lighter particle which is
-particle has a greater share of the KE. Think p /2m.
2

4. D
4
P + 2 He + Q
Q has different atomic no. and so is not an isotope of P. The atomic no. of Q is less than P by 2. Q has less
protons than P.

5. C
x 4 255
y Bh 3 2 He + 101 Md
x = 12 + 255 = 267; y = 6 + 101 = 107; no. of neutrons = x y = 160

6. B
- particles are electrons and same element must have the same atomic number.

7. E
11 (-ln2/2)t 10 (-ln2/3)t
6.410 e = 810 e

8. A
-1
Time passed/days Count rate due to source alone/ s
0 40
20 10
70 0
=> 2 half lives = 20 days

9. D
Activity due to X 48 days later (i.e. after 2 half lives) = Ao / 4 and activity due to Y 48 days later (3 half lives )
= Ao / 8 . Thus total activity = Ao / 4 + Ao / 8 = 3Ao / 8

10. C
Since activity is proportional to the no. of nuclei present, so when the activity is halved, the number of unchanged
nuclei is also halved.
11. C
After 12 days, if 7/8 of a quantity has decayed then only 1/8 remains unchanged. Thus it can be deduced that 12
6
days is 3 half-lives. Hence (1/2) = 1/64

12. C.
Fall by 0.875 means that the fraction undecayed is 0.125.= 1/8 i.e. 3 half-lives = 210 s
(-ln2/half-life)210
OR A/A0 = 0.125 = e

13. C
t
A = Ao e => ln A = ln Ao t i.e. grad = - and y - intercept ln Ao
Grad = - 2.6/26 = - 0.1 = - => = 0.1
and y intercept = 2.6 = ln Ao => Ao = 13.46

14. C
Count rate due to source = 532 24 = 508.
Thus after two half-lives, reading becomes of (508) = 127
Thus the reading is 127 + 24 = 151

3
15. D

Let each of the initial number of atoms of X and Y be N. After 200 minutes (which is 4 half-lives of X and 2 half-
lives of Y) there will be 1/16 N of X left and N of Y left.

16. A
A = N. Therefore A0 = N0 = (ln2/half-life)N0 and N0 is proportional to amount in terms of no of moles.
Option As 0.003/10 is the largest of all.

17. C
A = N. Since the activity of the first sample is twice that of the second, N in the first sample is twice that of the
second.

18. Binding energy of the parent nucleus is less than the combined binding energies of the products. The difference is
the energy released, which would be in the form of kinetic energy of the products and/or gamma radiation. If one
considers masses, the mass of the parent nucleus is larger than the combined masses of the products, with the
difference in mass (note that this is not mass defect a term which is used with reference to a single nucleus only
and not in a reaction) manifested as energy released.
-3 -1 -3 6
19. (i) = ln2/t1/2 = 9.5010 s ; (ii) N = A/ = 30000/9.5010 = 3.16 10 ;
-3
(iii) A = A0exp(-t) = 30exp(-9.5010 120) = 9.6 kBq

20. (i) Plot the activity over time and use the graph to analyse the decay.
(ii) Remove the sample and measure the background count rate. Then measure the overall count rate with the
sample present. Then deduct the background count rate from the overall count rate.

21. (a) 82 is the number of protons in the Pb nucleus while 207 is the number of protons and neutrons in the nucleus.
(b)(i)
219
86 Rn215
84 Po 2 He ; (ii) alpha-particle; (b)(i) beta-particle; (ii) neutron changes into a proton and electron.
4

22. (a) 36 s, since it takes this amount of time for the number of radioactive nuclei to halve
-1
(b) = ln2/36 = 0.019 s
20 18 -1
(c) When N = 3.010 ,Negative of gradient = 6.25 10 s
18 20 -1
(d) Rate of decay = Activity = N. Thus = 6.2510 /3.010 = 0.021 s

23. (a) Y-90. There is energy released, suggesting that the binding energy of the product is larger than the binding
energy of the reactants.
One can also consider that there is a loss in mass as there is energy release, i.e. Sr-90 would have larger mass
than Y-90; since both have the same number of nucleons which means that the total mass of the separated
nucleons is the same for both Sr-90 and Y-90 Sr-90 having a larger mass would mean that the Sr-90 has a
smaller mass defect. Sr-90 is thus less stable.
(b) The probability per unit time that a nucleus will decay. Activity divided by number of undecayed nuclei.
15
(c)(i) 1. N0 = A0/ = 3.7 106 = 4.710
0.025 365 24 3600
15 -10
2. m0 = 4.66710 90u = 7.010 kg
A
(c)(ii) e t e 0.0255.0 = 0.88
A0

24. (a)(ii) A = n
-9 -1
(b)(i) Decay constant = negative of gradient = 2.7210 s
-9
(b)(ii) t1/2 = ln2/ = ln2/2.7210 = 8.08 years
(b)(iii) It is the same radioactive isotope, and therefore the decay constant is the same.

25. (a) Spontaneous and random emission of , or radiation from the nucleus.
(b)(ii) Molar mass of Sr-90 = 90 g
-8 -8 23 14
No. of Sr-90 in 2.410 g = 2.410 /90 6.0210 = 1.60510
5 14 -10 -1
= A/N = 1.2610 /1.60510 = 7.85 10 s ;
(c) long lifetime, so that activity would not change much during time of measurement.

4
Level 2
26. D
Beta radiation can penetrate a thin Al sheet. Higher speed at entry, therefore circular path has larger radius.

27. A = A0exp(-t)
0.50V = 12000 exp(-(ln2/15)(39))
3
Solving V = 4000 cm
Short lifetime, therefore suitable.

28. (a) Radioactive decay is the spontaneous and random disintegration of an unstable nucleus into a more stable
configuration by emitting , or radiation, with slight change in the mass of the nucleus, while fission is the
breakup of a heavy nucleus into 2 lighter nuclei usually of comparable mass, and fission is an induced rather than
spontaneous process.
(b)(i) No of photons emitted per unit time = A
2
At distance x, no of photons per unit time per unit area = A/4x
2
Therefore no of photons entering detector of area S per unit time = SA/4x
Assumptions: Every disintegration produces one gamma photon; the photons are not absorbed by the medium
between the source and the detector.

(b)(ii)1. Gamma radiation is extremely penetrating. The lead will stop most (though not all) of the it.
2. Any reasonable suggestion, e.g. the gamma radiation that passes through the lead might trigger secondary
reactions that result in secondary radiation being emitted, so the polystyrene might have been used to protect
against this secondary radiation.
-2 -1
(c)(i) = ln2/45 = 1.510 day
7 -2 7
(c)(ii) A = A0exp(-t) = 8.510 exp(-1.5410 60) = 3.410 Bq
7 -2 7
(c)(iii) Expected activity from 2.4 kg of iron = 8.510 exp(-1.5410 90) = 2.1310 Bq
7 -5
Amount worn off = 880/2.1310 2.4 = 9.910 kg