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GCSE Questions: Radioactivity

Q9. Radioactive waste from nuclear power stations is a man-made source of background radiation.

(a) Tick to indicate which of the following is also a man-made source of background radiation.

cosmic rays  
radiotherapy
rocks  
stars  
[1 mark]

(b) Nuclear power stations use the process of nuclear fission.

Complete the following sentences to describe the process of nuclear fission.

Choose answers from this box.

An unstable nucleus absorbs a neutron and splits into two parts.

Two or three neutrons are released, as well as energy and gamma rays.

[3 marks]

(c) Plutonium-239 is one type of radioactive waste from nuclear power stations.

The following nuclear equation represents the decay of plutonium-239 (Pu-239).

How can you tell from the nuclear equation that alpha radiation is emitted when plutonium-239 decays?

An alpha particle is the same as a helium nucleus, and the equation shows helium is produced in the decay.

[1 mark]

(d) The graph shows how the activity of a sample of plutonium-239 varies with time.

(i) How much time will it take for the activity of the sample of plutonium-239 to fall to half of its initial activity? 24,000 years

[1 mark]

(ii) What is the half-life of plutonium-239? 24,000 years (Or the same answer as given to pasrt (i))

[1 mark]

(e) The radioactive waste from a nuclear power station is buried underground. People are warned to stay away from places where radioactive waste is buried.

Suggest one risk of going near the place where radioactive waste is buried.

Any one from:

irradiation

cancer

genetic damage

mutations to DNA / genes

radiation sickness / poisoning

[1 mark]

(Total 8 marks)