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A student models the random nature of radioactive decay using 100 dice - AQA - GCSE Physics - Question 9 - 2018 - Paper 1
Question 9
A student models the random nature of radioactive decay using 100 dice. He rolls the dice and removes any that land with the number 6 facing upwards. He rolls the r... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:A student models the random nature of radioactive decay using 100 dice - AQA - GCSE Physics - Question 9 - 2018 - Paper 1
Step 1
1. Give two reasons why this is a good model for the random nature of radioactive decay.
Answer
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The model utilizes random dice rolls to simulate the unpredictable nature of radioactive decay, demonstrating that it cannot be predicted which atom will decay at a given time.
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Each roll represents a decay event, allowing an illustration of how some atoms (dice) remain while others (those showing 6) are removed, similar to how a certain fraction of radioactive atoms decay over time.
Step 2
2. Use Figure 11 to determine the half-life for these dice using this model.
Answer
To determine the half-life, plot the number of remaining dice against the roll number. From the table, at roll number 0, we start with 100 dice. The first subsequent roll shows 84 remaining.
To find the half-life, we look for the roll number where approximately half of the dice (around 50) are left. This appears to occur around roll number 3 to 4, which can be estimated to be between 3.6 to 3.7 rolls.
Step 3
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Step 5
5. Determine the type of radiation emitted as protactinium decays into a new element. Give a reason for your answer.
Answer
The type of radiation emitted is beta radiation. This is because when protactinium decays, a neutron in the nucleus converts into a proton and an electron, increasing the proton number.
Step 6