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(Question B4 continued)
Part 2. The wave properties of particles.
(a)

State the de Broglie hypothesis.

[2]

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(b)

In 1926 Davisson and Germer carried out an experiment in which an electron beam was
scattered by a single nickel crystal.
A schematic diagram of the apparatus is shown below.
nickel crystal
electron beam

scattered beam
B

electron collector

The electron collector is moved along the arc AB. It is found that electrons are only detected
at certain positions along the arc.

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(Question B4 Part 2 (b) continued)

The diagram below represents two layers of ions in the nickel crystal. With the aid of this
diagram explain how the results of the experiment help verify the de Broglie hypothesis.

[6]

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(c)

(i)

Show that an electron accelerated through a potential difference of 150 V will have a
de Broglie wavelength equal to about 1010 m.

[4]

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(ii)

Why would such electrons with energy 150 eV be suitable for use in the Davisson and
Germer experiment?
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N00/430/H(2)

SECTION A
Candidates must answer all questions in the spaces provided.
A1. Radioactive decay measurement
A medical physicist wishes to investigate the decay of a radioactive isotope and determine its decay
constant and half-life. A Geiger-Muller counter is used to detect radiation from a sample of the
isotope, as shown.

Radioactive
Radioactive
source
source

(a)

Voltage supply
and counter
Geiger-Muller tube
Geiger-Muller
tube

Define the activity of a radioactive sample.

[1]

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Theory predicts that the activity A of the isotope in the sample should decrease exponentially with
time t according to the equation A = A0 e. t , where A0 is the activity at t = 0 and . is the decay
constant for the isotope.
(b)

Manipulate this equation into a form which will give a straight line if a semi-log graph is
plotted with appropriate variables on the axes. State what variables should be plotted.

[2]

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(Question A1 continued)
The Geiger-counter detects a proportion of the particles emitted by the source. The physicist
records the count-rate R of particles detected as a function of time t and plots the data as a graph of
ln R versus t, as shown below.

2
ln ( R / s 1 )

0
(c)

t / hr

Does the plot show that the experimental data are consistent with an exponential law?
Explain.

[1]

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(d)

The Geiger-counter does not measure the total activity A of the sample, but rather the
count-rate R of those particles that enter the Geiger tube. Explain why this will not matter in
determining the decay constant of the sample.

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(e)

From the graph, determine a value for the decay constant . .

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(Question A1 continued)
The physicist now wishes to calculate the half-life.
(f)

Define the half-life of a radioactive substance.

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(g)

Derive a relationship between the decay constant . and the half-life .

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(h)

Hence calculate the half-life of this radioactive isotope.

[1]

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(Question B4 continued)
Part 2. Rutherford scattering and a nuclear reaction
In 1911 Geiger and Marsden bombarded a thin gold foil with alpha particles from a radioactive
source.

Radioactive
source

Gold
foil
Alpha
Alpha
particles
particles

(a)

Based on ideas about atoms at the time, physicists had expected that the alpha particles would
go through the atoms in the foil with very little deflection. They were astonished that some
alpha particles were scattered almost completely backward. What did Rutherford conclude
from this about the structure of the atom? Explain.

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The diagram below shows four alpha particles approaching a gold nucleus. The deflected path of
one of them ( 2 ) is shown. Assume that any recoil of the gold nucleus can be neglected.
Alpha particles
4
3
2

Gold nucleus

(b)

Draw in the force(s) acting on alpha particle 2 when it is at the positions labelled k, l and m.
Your force vectors should be of the right relative lengths, given that points k and m are twice
as far from the nucleus as l is. State the source of any forces you show.

[2]

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(Question B4 Part 2 continued)

(c)

As 2 travels the path shown, describe what happens to its electric potential energy, kinetic
energy and total energy. The recoil energy of the gold nucleus is negligible.

[2]

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(d)

On the diagram, sketch the approximate paths of the three other alpha particles labelled 1 ,
3 and 4 . Explain the paths you have drawn.

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(e)

The alpha particles have energy 5.0 MeV and the gold nucleus has atomic number 79.
Calculate the distance of closest approach to the nucleus for 4 , which is incident head-on.
Compare this with the radius of the gold nucleus, which is 7 1015 m, and state whether
alpha particles can reach the nucleus.

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(f)

For heavy targets like gold, which have large atomic number, the 5 MeV alpha particles do
not actually reach the nucleus, and are simply scattered by the Coulomb force. However for
nuclei of low atomic number, alpha particles are able to reach the nucleus. Explain this
difference.

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(g)

If alpha particles do reach the nucleus, a nuclear reaction may occur. Thus when alpha
particles bombard the light element beryllium, neutrons are produced.
Complete the equation for the reaction of beryllium with an alpha particle. Include all the
atomic and mass numbers.
9
4

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Be

He = n +

[2]