Cambridge International AS Level Physics

Answers to end-of-chapter questions

Answers to EOC questions

1 The plum pudding model predicts that there
will be no large-angle scattering events. An
-particle is more massive than an electron
and will not be deviated by an electron. [1]
The actual experiment shows a few
-particles scattered through more than 90.
[1]
These -particles must have interacted with
a charged object more massive than an
electron. This object, containing most of the
mass of the atom, was called the nucleus. [1]
2 The nucleus contains 38 protons and 52
neutrons.[1]
3 When the nucleus ejects an -particle, it
emits two protons and two neutrons,
[1]
so the nucleon number decreases by 4 (A4)
and the proton number (atomic number)
decreases by 2 (Z2).
[1]
The nucleus then ejects two -particles,
formed by decay of two neutrons to protons.
[1]
The nucleon number (mass number) remains
at A4, but the proton number now increases
by 2, returning to Z.[2]
4

131
0
I 54 X + 1 e + [3]

131
53

5 a
-particles are fast-moving electrons that
come from the nucleus.
[1]
14
14
0
b 6 C 7 N + 1 e +
Proton numbers correct
[1]
Nucleon numbers and all symbols correct [1]

c i Graph and axes drawn correctly and

labelled[1]
Carbon-14 marked correctly
[1]
18
17
16
Nucleon number

Chapter 16

15

14
6C

14

14
7N

13
12
11
10

10

11

12

Proton number

ii Nitrogen-14 marked correctly

[1]

6 a
An -particle contains two protons and two
neutrons.[1]
A -particle is a fast-moving electron.
[1]
An -particle is much heavier than a
-particle (about 7400 or 8000 times larger).
[1]
An -particle is positively charged (+2e),
whereas a -particle is negatively charged
(e).[1]
b Isotopes have the same number of protons in
the nucleus or the same proton number. [1]
Isotopes have different numbers of neutrons
in the nucleus or different nucleon numbers.
[1]
236
236
4
c 92 U 90 X + 2 He
or
236
236
4
Z U Z2 X + 2 He
All three nucleon numbers correct
[1]
All three proton numbers correct
[1]
7 a
Volume of a sphere = 43 r3;
10 3

ratio of volumes = (1015)3 

[1]
(10 )
15
ratio = 10 [1]

Cambridge International AS and A Level Physics Cambridge University Press 2014

Cambridge International AS Level Physics

b Assuming that most of the mass of the atom

is concentrated in the nucleus,
[1]
then 19000kg of gold atoms has a volume of
10

1m3; from a the volume of the nucleus with
15
3
this mass is 110 m [1]
Density of gold nucleus
4
19
3
= 1.910
15
3 = 1.910 kgm [1]
10 m

8 a
82 protons
[1]
128 neutrons
[1]
b Because the particles are charged, when they
collide with or pass close to atoms,
[1] 11

they knock electrons from the atoms, leaving
behind charged atoms or ions.
[1]

c Two solutions, each with two -decays and

one -decay.[1]
Each -decay correct
[1]
Each -decay correct
[1]
A
210
82 Pb

21

20

206
82 Pb

19

79

80

81

Answers to end-of-chapter questions

The relative number of large deflections

showed the size of the nucleus

[1]

0
46

a i 1 e + 21 Sc + [1]
0
23
ii +1 e + 11 Na + [1]
b i A down quark turns into an up quark, an
electron and an antineutrino
[1]
ii An up quark turns into a down quark, a
positron and a neutrino
[1]
c the weak nuclear force
[1]

a A neutron is made up of other particles but a
quark is thought not to.
[1]
b i proton charge +1(e), made up of two up
quarks and one down quark
[1]
neutron charge 0, made up of two down
quarks and one up quark
[1]
ii The proton is positive, so either one or
both up and down quarks are positive. [1]
The neutron is neutral, so if one quark is
positive, the other is negative.
[1]
c strong interaction or strong nuclear force [1]
1
1
0
d 0 n 1 p + 1 e + [2]
e electron lepton, neutrino (or antielectron,
positron, antineutrino)
[1]
neutron hadron or baryon, antineutron,
antiproton or a variety of mesons
[1]

82

83

84

85 Z

9 a
Most of the mass is concentrated in a small
space.[1]
This space / nucleus is positive and
surrounded by negative charged electrons.[1]
b Any three from:
Most -particles pass undeviated through the
gold, showing that most of an atom is empty
space[1]
Some -particles are deflected though large
angles / greater than 90, showing that
Part of the atom is much heavier than an
-particle (and positive)
[1]
Electrons (negative) were known to exist, so
other particles in the nucleus must have been
positive and heavier
[1]

Cambridge International AS and A Level Physics Cambridge University Press 2014