26 Nuclear physics

OCR Physics A Exam-style mark scheme

Question
Answer Marks Guidance
number
1a Total mass of all nucleons  mass of nucleus
B1
1bi 79 protons and 113 neutrons B1
1 b ii total mass  79  1.673  10
27
 113  1.675  10
27 C1
25
A1
 3.21442  10 kg

1 b iii m = 3.21442 ×10 25  3.18800 ×10 25 C1

27
(= 2.642 ×10 ) C1
E  mc 2 = 2.642 ×10 27 × (3.00 ×108 )2 A1 ALLOW any value that is
2.4 × 10−10 to 2 s.f.
E  2.378 ×10 10 J
1ci 239

235 4
94 Pu 92 U + 2α
C1
Δm = 239.00058  (234.99345 + 4.00151)
=  0.00562 u  C1
A1

ΔE = 0.00562 ×1.661×10
27
 ×  3.00 ×10 
8 2

13
= 8.4 ×10 J
1 c ii 1 ALLOW full marks for use of E
E  m ν2
2 8  1013 giving
2 8.4 10
13 C1 1.55 × 107
ν2 
4.00151 1.661 1027
ALLOW one out of two for
ν  1.6 107 m s1 A1  6.48 × 107 (not converting
mass of α to kg)
ALLOW one out of two for
 6.32 × 107 (using
E 8 × 1013 and not converting
mass of α to kg)
2ai 238
92 U  1
0n  239
92 U
B1

2 a ii 239 239 0 0 B1 Scored for correct nucleus and

92 U  93 X  1  0
with correct values
B1 Scored for correct symbol and
values for antineutrino
2 a iii 239 239 0 0 B1 ECF for antineutrino
93 X  94 Pu  1  0

2bi A slow moving neutron/a neutron with KE similar to B1

that of the atoms in the reactor
2 b ii 236
92 U  135
53 I  95 1
39Y  6 0 n
B1 NO CREDIT if any additional
particles are included or number
of neutrons is incorrect.

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 26 Nuclear physics
OCR Physics A Exam-style mark scheme

Question
Answer Marks Guidance
number
2 b iii Total binding energies U-235 7.6 × 235 (1786)
I-135  8.4 × 135 (1134) Must have all three expressions
Y-95  8.6 × 95 (817) C1 shown or implied
Energy released  1134  817  1786 C1
 165 MeV A1
3ai Three points correctly plotted B1
3 a ii Curve drawn through the three points tending to zero
as nucleon number approaches zero B1
Peak between nucleon number  40 and Kr point B1

3b Total binding energies U-235 7.6 × 235 (1786) Must have all three expression
Ba-145  8.0 × 145 (1160) shown or implied
Kr-88  8.4 × 88 (739) C1
Omitting nucleon numbers in all
Energy released  1160  739  1786 C1 gives energy  8.8 MeV scores
113 MeV A1 one out of three

4a (Binding energy of a nucleus is minimum) energy M1 ALLOW

required to (completely) separate BE  mass defect ×c2 M1
The nucleus into its constituent protons and A1
neutrons/nucleons
Mass defect  mass of nucleons
− mass of nucleus A1
4bi Binding energy of H-2  2 × 1.8 × 1013 (J)
OR BE binding energy of He-4  4 × 1.1 × 1012 (J) C1

C1 NOTE Ignore signs

Energy released  (4  1.1 × 1012)  2 × (2 × 1.8 ×
1013)
A0
Energy released  3.68 × 1012 J
4 b ii 2
1H  3
1H  4
2 He  1
0n
B1

4 b ii Reactants mass  2.0141  3.0160 ( 5.0301 u)

Products mass 4.0026  1.0086 ( 5.0112 u) C1
C1
So mass defect  5.0301  5.0112  0.0189 u Must have both expressions
C1
shown or implied
 0.0189 × 1.66 × 10 27
kg
( 3.14 × 1029 kg) 3.02 × 1029 kg if 1.6 × 1027 is

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 26 Nuclear physics
OCR Physics A Exam-style mark scheme

Question
Answer Marks Guidance
number
E m c² A1 used for conversion from
 3.14 × 1029 × (3.00 ×108)2 eV to J
 2.83 × 1012 J ΔE = 2.72 × 1012 J using above
conversion
4 b ii Mean KE of the neutron  80% of released energy
(cont) (ΔE) C1 Mean KE with above conversion
= 0.80 × 2.83 × 1012 will be
 2.26 × 1012 J 2.18 × 1012 J
2  KE  2  2.26  1012
Speed    5.2  107 ms1 A1 Accept 5.1 × 107 ms−1
mn 1.675  1027

5ai (Nuclear) fission B1

5 a ii Control rods are made from material that readily
absorbs neutrons e.g. boron cadmium B1

B1
Rod are pushed into reactor to slow/stop the fission
reactions (ORA)
5 a iii Moderator slows down the fast neutrons (to thermal
speeds) B1
Moderator must not absorb neutrons e.g. water, B1
graphite/carbon
5bi Fuel rods contain radioactive material/decay
products water absorbs/shields a lot of the radiation B1
The radioactive decay in rods produces a lot of
thermal energy/water prevents the temperature of
the rods increasing too much (AW) B1
5 b ii Temperature of water rises because the energy B1 ALLOW alternative wording
released during radioactive decay in the fuel rods is
conducted into the water

5 b iii Reading should be same as/similar to background B1

count rate. The water does not become radioactive
(provided there are no breaks in the fuel rod
casings).

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