Physics 9702 · AS & A Level · Radioactive decay

Radioactive decay — practice question

Carbon-11 is a radioactive isotope that decays by $\beta^+$ emission, producing boron-11. The half-life of carbon-11 is 20 minutes. Boron-11 is stable.
(a)[1]

Define what half-life means.

(b)[3]

A sample has $N_0$ nuclei of carbon-11 and no additional nuclei when $t = 0$. On Fig. 9.1, sketch how the number of boron-11 nuclei in the sample changes with $t$.

(c(i))[2]

Explain, referring to the random nature of radioactive decay, why the activity of the carbon-11 sample in (b) gets smaller with time.

(c(ii))[3]

State, with reasons, whether a radiation detector placed close to the carbon-11 sample gives a measured count rate that is less than, equal to or greater than the sample’s activity.

Worked solution & mark scheme

This 9-mark question has a full step-by-step worked solution and mark scheme. One marking point: time taken for activity to fall to half

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