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In beta-plus decay, a proton decays into three other particles - OCR - A-Level Physics A - Question 3 - 2022 - Paper 1
Question 3
In beta-plus decay, a proton decays into three other particles. Write a nuclear equation for this process. A student, supervised by their teacher, carries out an e... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:In beta-plus decay, a proton decays into three other particles - OCR - A-Level Physics A - Question 3 - 2022 - Paper 1
Step 1
Step 2
Explain how to determine radiation type from three radioactive sources
Answer
To determine which radiation each source emits, the student can follow these steps:
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Use of the strong magnet: By bringing the sources near the strong magnet, the student can identify the nature of the emitted radiation:
- Beta particles (beta-minus or beta-plus) will be deflected in a direction opposite to the magnetic field, indicating their electric charge.
- Gamma rays will not be deflected, as they are neutral.
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Use of materials with different thicknesses: The student can place various thicknesses of material in front of each source. This can help in identifying the types:
- Beta particles will be stopped by a few millimeters of aluminum, while gamma rays can penetrate much thicker materials.
- By observing at which thickness the radiation is reduced to a safe level, the source can be identified.
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Use of the radiation counter (GM tube and counter): The radiation counter can measure the count rate of the radiation emitted from each source:
- The rate will drop significantly for beta particles when barriers are introduced, while gamma will have less of an effect.
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Safety Considerations: The student should ensure that they perform these tests in a safe manner, standing at a distance and using protective materials to minimize exposure.