Edexcel GCSE Physics

Topic Questions

GCSEPhysicsEdexcelTopic Questions6. Radioactivity6.1 Atomic Structure

6.1 Atomic Structure

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1a
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Use words from the box to complete the following sentences.

an electron                a neutron                a proton

 

The particle with a positive charge is ..........................................

The particle with the smallest mass is ..........................................

The particle with no charge is ..........................................

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1b
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Carbon has three naturally occurring isotopes

State the meaning of the term isotope.

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1c
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Carbon-14 is a radioactive isotope of carbon.

A nucleus of this isotope can be represented as

straight C presubscript 6 presuperscript 14

The number of neutrons in a carbon-14 nucleus is 

☐ A 6
☐ B 8
☐ C 14
☐ D 20

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1d
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Another isotope of carbon is carbon-13.

Complete the following sentence.

A nucleus of carbon-13 contains ................... protons and ................... neutrons.

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2a
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The diagram in Figure 1 represents an atom.

The atom is neutral.

6-1-e-2a-atomic-structure-edx-gcse

Figure 1

Draw one straight line from each letter box to the correct particle box.

6-1-e-2a-table-atomic-structure-blank-connectors-edx-gcse

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2b3 marks

The table in Figure 2 gives some information about the three particles in an atom.

particle relative charge relative mass
proton +1 (positive) 1
neutron    
    1 over 2000

 
Figure 2

Complete the table in Figure 2.

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2c
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Atoms are neutral.

An atom can become an ion by losing

☐ A a proton
☐ B a neutron
☐ C an electron
☐ D a gamma ray

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2d
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State two ways in which atoms can become ions.

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3a
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Figure 1 shows an early model of the atom called the 'plum pudding' model.

6-1-e-3a-plum-pudding-model-edx-gcse

Figure 1

(i)
What is the name of particle X?
 
☐ A a neutron
☐ B an alpha particle
☐ C a nucleus
☐ D an electron

[1]

 
(ii)
State the relative charge of particle X.
[1]
(iii)
State the overall charge of an atom in the 'Plum pudding model'.
[1]

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3b
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Later, Rutherford disproved the 'Plum pudding model' with his scattering experiment.

This led to a new model called the Bohr model.

Complete the sentences about Bohr's model.

energy levels nucleus greater

 

Electrons orbit the .................... at different distances.

The different orbit distances are called .................... .

The further away from the nucleus the .................... the energy.

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3c
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Figure 2 shows an electron moving to a higher orbit using Bohr's model of the atom.

6-1-m-3d-excition-in-an-atom

Figure 2

An electron moves to a higher orbit when

☐ A it absorbs electromagnetic radiation 
☐ B it emits electromagnetic radiation 
☐ C it radiates electromagnetic radiation
☐ D no electromagnetic radiation is absorbed or emitted

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3d
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The atom shown in Figure 3 is lithium and has lost an electron.

6-1-e-3d-lithium-ion-edx-gcse

Figure 3

(i)
State the name given to this type of atom.
[1]
(ii)
Describe the effect of removing an electron on the overall charge of the atom.
[1]

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1a
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The deflection of α-particles by a thin metal foil is investigated with the arrangement shown in Figure 1.
 

4-1-h-1a-rutherford-scattering

Figure 1

 

The detector of α-particles, D, is moved around the path labelled WXY.

State the environment the apparatus must be enclosed in and explain why this is required for the experiment.

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1b
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Explain the readings detected by D and the conclusions that were made about the nature of atoms at points W and X.

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1c
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State what the readings detected by D at position Y conclude about the charge of the nucleus.

Explain why. 

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1d
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A beam of α-particles produces a current of 4.2 pA.

1 pA = 10−12 A

The charge on a proton is 1.60 × 10–19 C.

Calculate the number of α-particles per second passing a point in the beam.

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2a
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Figure 1 represents a neutral atom of an isotope of element P.

4-1-h-2a-neutral-atom

Figure 1

 

State one similarity between this atom and a neutral atom of a different isotope of element P.

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2b
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There are three naturally occurring isotopes of hydrogen: hydrogen-1, hydrogen-2 and hydrogen-3.

Hydrogen-1 is the simplest nuclide containing only one proton. Each isotope of hydrogen is represented by the symbol straight H.

Write down the symbols, using nuclear notation, for:
 
 
hydrogen-1 ...................................
 
hydrogen-2 ...................................
 
hydrogen-3 ...................................

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2c
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In a fusion reactor, a nucleus of hydrogen-2 and a nucleus of hydrogen-3 undergo fusion.

The fusion reaction produces a free neutron and one other particle.

Write down, using nuclear notation, the equation that represents this reaction.

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3a
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A student is designing revision material on atomic structure. 

They design the table shown in Figure 1 below, with the properties of the particles that make up an atom:

  

Particle Charge / C Relative Charge Relative Mass
Electron   ­–1  
Proton +1.60 × 10–19   1
Neutron     1

Figure 1 

Some of the information in Figure 1 is missing.

Complete the missing information.

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3b
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The student wonders how to come up with an explanation for the term ‘neutral atom’.

By referring to the number of electrons and protons, explain what is meant by the term ‘neutral atom’. 

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3c2 marks

To show an example of isotope notation, the student inserts an image of the element nitrogen into their revision notes, as shown in Figure 2 below.

  2-1-s-q--q1-a-easy-aqa-a-level-physics

Figure 2

Use Figure 2 to determine the number of neutrons in nitrogen.

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3d
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The student wishes to design a section on isotopes in the revision material.

They draw another image, as shown in Figure 3:

gACIH~lt_n

Figure 3

Use Figure 3 to show a possible isotope of nitrogen, filling in the missing spaces.

     

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1a4 marks
(i)
Use words from the box to complete the sentences below about ions. 

absorbing gaining inner losing outer

[2]

 Atoms may form positive ions by ........................ electrons.

 The electrons involved in forming positive ions are the ...................... electrons.

(ii)
Which of these radiations is both electromagnetic and ionising?  
[1]
      ☐ A alpha
      ☐ B beta minus
      ☐ C gamma
      ☐ D neutron

(iii)
Which type of radiation will travel the shortest distance in air?  

[1]
  ☐ A alpha
  ☐ B beta minus
  ☐ C beta plus
  ☐ D gamma

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1b3 marks

Lead-214 is a radioactive isotope.

(i)
State one way in which radioactive isotopes can be harmful to people. 

[1]

(ii)
Lead-214 emits beta- particles.

Describe what happens to the nucleus of a lead-214 atom when it emits a beta- particle.

[2]

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1c1 mark

The typical size of an atom is


  ☐ A 10-5 m
  ☐ B 10-10 m
  ☐ C 10-15 m
  ☐ D 10-20 m

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1d3 marks

The mass of a proton is 1.6726 x 10-27 kg.
The mass of an electron is 9.1094 x 10-31 kg.

Calculate how many times the mass of a proton is greater than the mass of an electron.

Give your answer to two significant figures. 



................................... times

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2a2 marks

Carbon-13 and carbon-14 are isotopes of carbon.

Nuclei of carbon-13 and carbon-14 can be represented by these symbols  


straight C presubscript 6 presuperscript 13 and  straight C presubscript 6 presuperscript 14

Complete the table for an atom of carbon-13 and an atom of carbon-14.

  number of neutrons in the nucleus number of electrons in orbit around the nucleus
carbon-13    
carbon- 14    

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2b3 marks
(i)
State the name of an instrument that can be used to measure radioactivity. 
[1]
(ii)
State two sources of background radiation.

[2]

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2c2 marks

Carbon-14 is radioactive and has a half-life of 5 700 years.

The number of radioactive carbon-14 atoms in a very old piece of wood is found to have decreased from 1 000 000 to 125 000.

Determine the age of the piece of wood.



age of wood = ......................years

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2d2 marks

Carbon-14 decays into nitrogen-14.

The symbol for nitrogen-14 is straight N presubscript 7 presuperscript 14

Explain what happens in a carbon-14 nucleus when it decays to a nitrogen-14 nucleus.

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3a2 marks

Explain what is meant by the term ‘neutral atom’. 

 

Refer to the number of electrons and protons.

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3b1 mark

An example of nuclide notation for the element nitrogen is straight N presubscript 7 presuperscript 14.

Determine the number of neutrons in straight N presubscript 7 presuperscript 14. 

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3c2 marks
Write the nuclide notation for another possible isotope of nitrogen.

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3d2 marks
Figure 1 shows the process of excitation.

6-1-m-3d-excition-in-an-atom

Figure 1

Explain the process of excitation.

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4a3 marks

An experiment conducted by Rutherford, Geiger and Marsden provided evidence for the structure of the atom.

Alpha particles were fired at a thin gold foil, with a detector to detect deflected particles.

 

The circles shown in Figure 1 represent three gold nuclei. Three α-particles are approaching the gold nuclei.

6-1-m-4a-rutherford-scattering
Figure 1

Complete the paths of the α-particles.

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4b
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Suggest why:

 
(i)
The majority of alpha particles went straight through the gold foil.
[1]
(ii)
Some alpha particles deflected through small angles.
[1]
(iii)
Only a small number of alpha particles deflected straight back at angles of  greater than 90°
[1]

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4c3 marks

A neutral carbon-14 atom can be written symbolically as:

 straight C presubscript 6 presuperscript 14

State the number of:

 
 
(i)
protons in the nucleus of an atom of carbon-14
[1]
(ii)
electrons orbiting the nucleus of an atom of carbon-14
[1]
(iii)
neutrons in the nucleus of an atom of carbon-14.
[1]

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4d3 marks

Carbon-12 is another isotope of carbon.

 
Compare the nucleus of carbon-14 with the nucleus of carbon-12.

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