EASY
AS and A Level
IMPORTANT
Earn 100

There are seven naturally occurring isotopes of mercury, with nucleon numbers (and relative abundances) of 196 (0.2%), 198 (10%), 199 (16.8%), 200 (23.1%), 201 (13.2%), 202 (29.8%) and 204 (6.9%).

(a) Determine the proton and neutron numbers for each isotope.

Important Questions on Atomic Structure and Particle Physics

EASY
AS and A Level
IMPORTANT
Physics for Cambridge International AS & A Level Coursebook 3rd Edition Digital Access>Chapter 15 - Atomic Structure and Particle Physics>Questions>Q 7

There are seven naturally occurring isotopes of mercury, with nucleon numbers (and relative abundances) of 196 (0.2%), 198 (10%), 199 (16.8%), 200 (23.1%), 201 (13.2%), 202 (29.8%) and 204 (6.9%).

(b) Determine the average relative atomic mass (equivalent to the 'average nucleon number') of naturally occurring mercury.

EASY
AS and A Level
IMPORTANT
Physics for Cambridge International AS & A Level Coursebook 3rd Edition Digital Access>Chapter 15 - Atomic Structure and Particle Physics>Questions>Q 8

Eight different atoms are labelled A to H. Group the elements A-H into isotopes and name them using the Periodic Table.

  A B C D E F G H
Proton 
number		 20 23 21 22 20 22 22 23
Nucleon
number		 44 50 469 46 46 48 50 51

 

EASY
AS and A Level
IMPORTANT
Physics for Cambridge International AS & A Level Coursebook 3rd Edition Digital Access>Chapter 15 - Atomic Structure and Particle Physics>Question>Q 9

State which of the following forces act between protons and neutrons in a nucleus.

(a) Gravitational

EASY
AS and A Level
IMPORTANT
Physics for Cambridge International AS & A Level Coursebook 3rd Edition Digital Access>Chapter 15 - Atomic Structure and Particle Physics>Question>Q 9

State which of the following forces act between protons and neutrons in a nucleus.

(b) Electrostatic

EASY
AS and A Level
IMPORTANT
Physics for Cambridge International AS & A Level Coursebook 3rd Edition Digital Access>Chapter 15 - Atomic Structure and Particle Physics>Question>Q 9

State which of the following forces act between protons and neutrons in a nucleus.

© Strong nuclear.

EASY
AS and A Level
IMPORTANT
Physics for Cambridge International AS & A Level Coursebook 3rd Edition Digital Access>Chapter 15 - Atomic Structure and Particle Physics>Question>Q 10
(a) Explain why you would expect β  -particles to travel further through air than α-particles.
EASY
AS and A Level
IMPORTANT
Physics for Cambridge International AS & A Level Coursebook 3rd Edition Digital Access>Chapter 15 - Atomic Structure and Particle Physics>Questions>Q 11
The isotope thorium-227 decays by α-emission. Write down an equation to describe this decay and identify the element that is produced.
EASY
AS and A Level
IMPORTANT
Physics for Cambridge International AS & A Level Coursebook 3rd Edition Digital Access>Chapter 15 - Atomic Structure and Particle Physics>Questions>Q 12
Copper-64 can decay by either β+ & β- emission . Give equations for both processes and identify the resulting elements.