DP Physics Questionbank

Description

Nature of science:
Patterns, trends and discrepancies: Graphs of binding energy per nucleon and of neutron number versus proton number reveal unmistakable patterns. This allows scientists to make predictions of isotope characteristics based on these graphs. (3.1)

Understandings:

• The unified atomic mass unit
• Mass defect and nuclear binding energy
• Nuclear fission and nuclear fusion

Applications and skills:

• Solving problems involving mass defect and binding energy
• Solving problems involving the energy released in radioactive decay, nuclear fission and nuclear fusion
• Sketching and interpreting the general shape of the curve of average binding energy per nucleon against nucleon number

Guidance:

• Students must be able to calculate changes in terms of mass or binding energy
• Binding energy may be defined in terms of energy required to completely separate the nucleons or the energy released when a nucleus is formed from its nucleons

Data booklet reference:

Theory of knowledge:

• The acceptance that mass and energy are equivalent was a major paradigm shift in physics. How have other paradigm shifts changed the direction of science? Have there been similar paradigm shifts in other areas of knowledge?

Utilization:

• Our understanding of the energetics of the nucleus has led to ways to produce electricity from nuclei but also to the development of very destructive weapons
• The chemistry of nuclear reactions (see Chemistry option sub-topics C.3 and C.7)

Aims:

• Aim 5: some of the issues raised by the use of nuclear power transcend national boundaries and require the collaboration of scientists from many different nations
• Aim 8: the development of nuclear power and nuclear weapons raises very serious moral and ethical questions: who should be allowed to possess nuclear power and nuclear weapons and who should make these decisions? There are also serious environmental issues associated with the nuclear waste of nuclear power plants.

Directly related questions

• 18M.2.SL.TZ2.6b.ii: Show that the energy released in the β– decay of rhodium is about 3 MeV.
• 18M.2.SL.TZ2.6b.i: State what is meant by the binding energy of a nucleus.
• 18M.1.SL.TZ2.26: A graph of the variation of average binding energy per nucleon with nucleon number has a maximum....
• 18M.1.SL.TZ1.25: The average binding energy per nucleon of the \(_8^{15}{\text{O}}\) nucleus is 7.5 MeV. What is...
• 17N.1.SL.TZ0.24: What gives the total change in nuclear mass and the change in nuclear binding energy as a...
• 17M.1.HL.TZ2.21: In the nuclear reaction X + Y → Z + W, involving nuclides X, Y, Z and W, energy is...
• 17M.1.SL.TZ2.26: The binding energy per nucleon of \({}_4^{11}Be\) is 6 MeV. What is the energy required to...
• 17M.1.SL.TZ1.27: What is the energy equivalent to the mass of one proton? A.  9.38 × (3 × 108)2 × 106 J B.  9.38...
• 17M.1.SL.TZ1.26: In nuclear fission, a nucleus of element X absorbs a neutron (n) to give a nucleus of element Y...
• 17M.1.SL.TZ1.25: What is the definition of the unified atomic mass unit? A.  \(\frac{1}{{12}}\) the mass of a...
• 17M.1.SL.TZ1.15: Two pulses are travelling towards each other. What is a possible pulse shape when the pulses...
• 16N.2.SL.TZ0.4c: Carbon-14 (C-14) is a radioactive isotope which undergoes beta minus (β–) decay to the stable...
• 16M.2.HL.TZ0.8b: A nucleus of phosphorus-32 \(\left( {{}_{15}^{32}{\rm{P}}} \right)\) decays by beta minus (β−)...
• 16M.2.SL.TZ0.6a: A nucleus of phosphorus-32 \(\left( {{}_{15}^{32}{\rm{P}}} \right)\) decays by beta minus (β−)...
• 16N.1.SL.TZ0.26: The mass defect for deuterium is 4×10–30 kg. What is the binding energy of deuterium?  A....
• 16N.1.SL.TZ0.25: When an alpha particle collides with a nucleus of nitrogen-14...
• 16M.1.HL.TZ0.17: Patterns in graphs help scientists make predictions. What can be deduced from a graph of neutron...
• 16M.1.SL.TZ0.25: ...
• 15M.1.SL.TZ1.24: In a nuclear fission reaction, nucleus X splits into nucleus Y and nucleus Z. Which of the...
• 15M.2.SL.TZ1.6h: The nuclear equation for the decay of calcium-47 into...
• 15M.2.SL.TZ2.4c: State what is meant by the binding energy of a nucleus.
• 15M.2.SL.TZ2.4d: (i) On the axes, sketch a graph showing the variation of nucleon number with the binding energy...
• 14M.1.SL.TZ1.23: The nuclear reaction \({}_1^2{\rm{H}} + {}_1^3{\rm{H}} \to {}_2^4{\rm{He + }}{}_0^1{\rm{n}}\)...
• 14M.1.SL.TZ1.22: The binding energy per nucleon of a \({}_1^3{\rm{H}}\) nucleus is 3 MeV. What is the minimum...
• 14M.1.SL.TZ2.23: What is the definition of the unified atomic mass unit? A. The mass of one atom of hydrogen. B....
• 14M.2.SL.TZ1.5c: When particle X collides with a stationary nucleus of calcium-40 (Ca-40), a nucleus of potassium...
• 14M.2.SL.TZ1.5a: (i) Define the term unified atomic mass unit. (ii) The mass of a nucleus of einsteinium-255 is...
• 15N.1.SL.TZ0.25: Bismuth-210 \(\left( {_{\;83}^{210}{\text{Bi}}} \right)\) is a radioactive isotope that decays as...
• 15N.2.SL.TZ0.4c.ii: Construct the nuclear equation for the decay of radium-226.
• 14N.1.SL.TZ0.23: A student suggests the following nuclear reaction between deuterium \({}_1^2{\rm{H}}\) and...
• 14N.2.HL.TZ0.3a.i: State the nature of X.
• 14N.2.HL.TZ0.3b.i: Determine the mass of U-235 that undergoes fission in the reactor every day.
• 14N.2.HL.TZ0.3a.ii: State one form of energy that is instantaneously released in the reaction.
• 14N.2.SL.TZ0.5d.i: Determine the mass of U-235 that undergoes fission in the reactor every day.
• 14M.2.HL.TZ2.3b: (i)     The nuclear mass of the nuclide helium-3 \(\left( {_2^3{\text{He}}} \right)\) is 3.014931...
• 14M.2.SL.TZ2.3a: State what is meant by mass defect.
• 14M.2.SL.TZ2.3b: (i)     Data for this question is given below. Binding energy per nucleon for deuterium...
• 11N.1.SL.TZO.18: An electron is accelerated through a potential difference of 100 V. Which of the following gives...
• 11N.1.HL.TZ0.27: A fission reaction for uranium...
• 12N.1.SL.TZ0.30: The graph shows the relationship between binding energy per nucleon and nucleon number. In which...
• 12N.1.HL.TZ0.24: The graph shows the relationship between binding energy per nucleon and nucleon number. In which...
• 13N.1.HL.TZ0.27: The nuclear reaction represented...
• 13N.1.SL.TZ0.24: For which quantity can the unit MeVc–2 be used? A. MassB. MomentumC. Kinetic energyD. Binding...
• 13M.2.SL.TZ1.5a: (i) Outline, with reference to mass defect, what is meant by the term nuclear...
• 13M.2.SL.TZ1.5b: In one nuclear reaction two deuterons (hydrogen-2) fuse to form tritium (hydrogen-3) and another...
• 12M.1.SL.TZ1.23: Which statement correctly describes the process of nuclear fusion? A. The joining together of...
• 13M.2.SL.TZ2.4b: Tritium may be produced by bombarding a nucleus of the isotope lithium-7 with a high-energy...
• 13M.2.SL.TZ2.4c: Assuming that the lithium-7 nucleus in (b) is at rest, suggest why, in terms of conservation of...
• 13M.2.SL.TZ2.4d: A nucleus of tritium decays to a nucleus of helium-3. Identify the particles X and Y in the...
• 11M.1.SL.TZ2.24: The nuclear equation below is an example of the transmutation of...
• 12M.2.SL.TZ2.3b: The daughter nuclei of U-235 undergo radioactive decay until eventually a stable isotope of lead...
• 12M.2.SL.TZ2.3c: Nuclei of U-235 bombarded with low energy neutrons can undergo nuclear fission. The nuclear...
• 11M.1.HL.TZ2.26: In a fission...
• 12M.1.HL.TZ1.26: A unit in which mass defect can be measured is A. MeV.B. MeV c–1.C. MeV c–2.D. MeV per nucleon.
• 11M.2.SL.TZ2.5a: Define the term unified atomic mass...
• 11M.2.SL.TZ2.5b: The mass of a nucleus of rutherfordium-254 is 254.1001u....
• 11M.2.SL.TZ2.5c: In 1919, Rutherford produced the first...
• 12M.2.SL.TZ1.5b: A nucleus of americium-241 (Am-241) decays into a nucleus of neptunium-237 (Np-237) in the...
• 11N.2.SL.TZ0.3a: A nuclide of deuterium \(\left( {{}_{\rm{1}}^2{\rm{H}}} \right)\) and a nuclide of...
• 11N.2.HL.TZ0.3c: A nuclide of deuterium \(\left( {{}_1^2{\rm{H}}} \right)\) and a nuclide of...
• 11N.2.HL.TZ0.3a: Describe what is meant by (i) radioactive decay. (ii) nuclear fusion.
• 13N.2.SL.TZ0.4d: Protons can be produced by the bombardment of nitrogen-14 nuclei with alpha particles. The...
• 13N.2.SL.TZ0.4e: The following data are available for the reaction in (d). Rest mass of nitrogen-14 nucleus...
• 11M.2.SL.TZ1.7a: (i) Define binding energy of a nucleus. (ii) The mass of a nucleus of...
• 11M.2.SL.TZ1.7b: The graph shows the variation with nucleon number A of the binding energy per...
• 09M.1.SL.TZ1.23: A sample contains an amount of radioactive material with a half-life of 3.5 days. After 2 weeks...
• 09M.1.SL.TZ1.24: The rest mass of a proton is \({\text{938 MeV}}\,{{\text{c}}^{ - 2}}\). The energy of a proton at...
• 10N.1.SL.TZ0.25: Data concerning nuclides are plotted using the axes below. What are the axis labels for this...
• 10M.1.SL.TZ1.25: The nuclear reaction \[_1^2{\text{H}} + _1^3{\text{H}} \to _2^4{\text{He}} +...
• 10N.2.SL.TZ0.B3Part1.a: (i) State the value of \(x\). (ii)     Show that the energy released when one uranium nucleus...