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A level: Radioactivity Questions

Q11.

(a) Suggest two reasons why an particle causes more ionization than a particle of the same initial kinetic energy.

(2 marks)

(b) A radioactive source has an activity of 3.2 × 109 Bq and emits particles, each with kinetic energy of 5.2 Me V. The source is enclosed in a small aluminium container of mass 2.0 × 10–4 kg which absorbs the radiation completely.

(i) Calculate the energy, in J, absorbed from the source each second by the aluminium container.

(ii) Estimate the temperature rise of the aluminium container in 1 minute, assuming no energy is lost from the aluminium.

specific heat capacity of aluminium = 900 J kg–1 K–1

(5 marks)

(Total 7 marks)