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Edexcel | Physics WPH0 | W 11 5 1 | 1 hour 30 minutes
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17
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In September 1987, two youngsters in Brazil removed a stainless steel cylinder from

a machine in an abandoned clinic. Five days later they sold the cylinder to a scrap

dealer who prised open a platinum capsule inside to reveal a glowing blue powder. The

 

17
(a)
Add To Classified
3 Mark s

Discuss the dangers to the youngsters of possessing this cylinder for 5 days.

(QWC – Work must be clear and organised in a logical manner using

technical wording where appropriate)

Appropriate reference to the following:

  •  The penetrating power of beta radiation
  • The ionising effects of the beta radiation
  •  The shielding effect that the cylinder might have had
  •  The constant activity over the 5 day period

Examples of responses:

Beta radiation is (moderately) ionising

Beta radiation is able to penetrate the body

Once inside the body beta radiation may damage / kill / mutate / alter

DNA of cells

Beta radiation is absorbed by a few mm of aluminium

Cylinder may have reduced the radiation to safe levels / absorbed the

beta radiation

Greater risk of exposure if cylinder damaged or cracked

Long half life means that:

source stays active for a long time/activity unlikely to lower over 5 days

17
(b)
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2 Mark s

Complete the equation to represent the decay of caesium-137 into barium.

                   

17
(c) (I)
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1 Mark

The decay of caesium into barium is a random process. Why is the decay

process described as random?

Cannot identify which atom/nucleus/particle will be the next to decay

OR cannot say when a given atom/nucleus/particle will decay

OR cannot state exactly how many atoms/nuclei/particles will decay in a

set time

OR can only estimate the fraction of the total number that will decay in

the next time interval

17
(c) (II)
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2 Mark s

17
(d)
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4 Mark s

In September 2007, 20 years after the cylinder was removed from the machine, the

substance was still highly radioactive. Calculate the number of caesium-137 atoms

remaining in the powder.

                                               Number = . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

17
(e)
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Caesium-137 is one of the products from the nuclear fission of uranium-235 in a

nuclear reactor.

17
(e) (I)
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1 Mark

Complete the equation for this reaction and show the number of neutrons

released.

                       

17
(e) (II)
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2 Mark s

Explain the significance to the operation of the reactor of the number of

neutrons emitted in each fission.

Idea that at least one neutron needs to be available to be absorbed for a

chain reaction to be sustained 

Appreciation of the need to control/limit/restrict the number of neutrons

(which can go on to produce another fission)

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