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DP IB Physics: SL

Topic Questions

Home / IB / Physics: SL / DP / Topic Questions / 7. Atomic, Nuclear & Particle Physics / 7.1 Discrete Energy & Radioactivity / Multiple Choice


7.1 Discrete Energy & Radioactivity

Question 1

Marks: 1

size 16px U presubscript size 16px 92 presuperscript size 16px 238 decays to thorium-234 by emitting an alpha particle and two gamma rays. Thorium-234 then decays into protactinium via beta decay.

Which point on the N-Z graph below represents the position of the granddaughter nucleus, protactinium?

q1

    Choose your answer
      
    Key Concepts
    Half-Life

    Question 2

    Marks: 1

    The half-life of carbon-14 is 6000 years.

    An ancient elephant tusk has been uncovered and its age is unknown. A 20 g sample of the tusk has an activity of 1.25 Bq due to carbon-14.

    A 80 g sample of tusk taken from a living elephant has an activity of 20 Bq.

    Use this information to determine the age of the ancient tusk.

    • 3000 years

    • 12 000 years

    • 18 000 years

    • 24 000 years

    Choose your answer
      

    Question 3

    Marks: 1

    Fluorodeoxyglucose is a compound used as a tracer in medical imaging. The isotope fluorine-18 is used, which is a positron emitter.

    The way these positrons interact with electrons in the body allows PET (positron emission tomography) scanners to determine the rate of respiration certain cells are performing.

    Fluorine-18 decays into an isotope of oxygen.

    Which equation below represents the correct nuclear equation for this decay?

    • F presubscript 9 presuperscript 18 rightwards arrow O presubscript 8 presuperscript 18 plus beta presubscript plus 1 end presubscript presuperscript 0 plus upsilon subscript e

    • F presubscript 9 presuperscript 18 rightwards arrow O presubscript 9 presuperscript 18 plus beta presubscript plus 1 end presubscript presuperscript 0 plus upsilon subscript e

    Choose your answer
      

    Question 4

    Marks: 1

    Protactinium-231 (scriptbase P a end scriptbase presubscript 91 presuperscript 231) is a radioactive element, it decays by alpha radiation and then beta-minus decay as shown below:

     Error converting from MathML to accessible text.

    What proton number and mass number will element B have?

     

    Proton Number

    Mass Number

    A.

    89

    229

    B.

    90

    229

    C.

    89

    227

    D.

    90

    227

      Choose your answer
        
      Key Concepts
      Decay Equations

      Question 5

      Marks: 1

      The energy levels of an atom are shown in the diagram below.

      q15_discrete-energy-_-radioactivity_ib-sl-physics-mcq

      Which transition will emit the photon with the shortest wavelength?

      • n = 4 to n = 1

      • n = 2 to n = 1

      • n = 2 to n = 1

      • n = 4 to n = 3 

      Choose your answer
        

      Question 6

      Marks: 1

      A radioactive source is known to emit beta radiation. A Geiger-Muller tube is used to measure the count rate at increasing distances from the source.

      Which graph correctly represents the variation in count rate over these distances for beta radiation?

      q16_discrete-energy-_-radioactivity_ib-sl-physics-mcq

        Choose your answer
          

        Question 7

        Marks: 1

        Unstable nuclei make up 10% of a sample’s mass. The count rate of the sample is measured over a time period of 8 hours.

        q17_discrete-energy-_-radioactivity_ib-sl-physics-mcq

        After some time has passed, the percentage of the sample which is unstable reduces to 2.5%. What is the count rate of the source at this time?

        • 90 cpm

        • 60 cpm

        • 45 cpm

        • 30 cpm

        Choose your answer
          
        Key Concepts
        Decay Curves

        Question 8

        Marks: 1

        A source is known to be radioactive but the type of radiation being emitted is unknown.

        A Geiger-Müller tube is placed close to the source and different materials are placed between the two. A table of the count rates recorded for each material is shown below. The background count rate is 15 counts per minute.

        Material

        Count rate recorded / counts per minute

        Paper

        528

        Nothing

        1064

        Thick lead

        17

        Aluminium

        524

        What types of radiation are being emitted by the source?

        • alpha comma space beta and gamma

        • alpha spaceonly

        • beta spaceand gamma

        • alpha and gamma

        Choose your answer
          

        Question 9

        Marks: 1

        Hydrogen atoms feature energy levels as shown below.

        q19_discrete-energy-_-radioactivity_ib-sl-physics-mcq

        Which photon energy will not cause an electron to be excited or ionised in a ground state hydrogen atom?

        • 10.2 eV

        • 12.29 eV

        • 12.75 eV

        • 15.0 eV

        Choose your answer
          
        Key Concepts
        Discrete Energy Levels

        Question 10

        Marks: 1

        Three of the four isotopes below are the same element. Which isotope represents a different element?

         

        Nucleon number

        Neutron number

        A.

        233

        141

        B.

        235

        143

        C.

        238

        146

        D.

        239

        146

          Choose your answer
            
          Key Concepts
          Isotopes