Pearson Edexcel International GCSE (9–1) · PHYSICS · Section
THE STABILITY OF ISOTOPES
20 practice questions
Practice questions
1–10 of 20
Question 1
1 mark · Easy
Answer and see the solution →State what the atomic number (Z) of an atom tells you about its nucleus.
Question 2
3 marks · Easy
Answer and see the solution →(a)[1 mark]Define what an isotope is.
(b)[1 mark]The most common isotope of oxygen is written as . How many neutrons does it have in its nucleus?
(c)[1 mark]Explain, in terms of neutrons and protons, how isotopes of the same element are similar and how they differ.
Question 3
2 marks · Easy
Answer and see the solution →Describe what happens to the stability of a nucleus if the number of neutrons is much higher than the number of protons.
Question 4
2 marks · Easy
Answer and see the solution →(a)[1 mark]State the total number of nucleons in the nucleus of carbon-13.
(b)[1 mark]Identify the subatomic particles counted as nucleons.
Question 5
1 mark · Easy
Answer and check →Which statement best explains why neutrons are important for the stability of a nucleus?
- A.They provide extra positive charge to hold protons together.
- B.They help balance the repulsive force between protons in the nucleus.
- C.They make the atom lighter.
- D.They change the chemical properties of the element.
Question 6
1 mark · Easy
Answer and check →A nucleus of chlorine-37 has an atomic number 17. How many neutrons does it have?
Question 7
2 marks · Easy
Answer and see the solution →Some isotopes of carbon Isotope Number of protons Number of neutrons Carbon-12 6 6 Carbon-13 6 7 Carbon-14 6 8 Compare the stability of carbon-12 and carbon-14 and give a reason for your answer based on their neutron numbers.
Question 8
2 marks · Easy
Answer and see the solution →(a)[1 mark]How does the number of neutrons affect whether an isotope is stable or unstable?
(b)[1 mark]What can happen if an atom has too few neutrons?
Question 9
2 marks · Normal
Answer and see the solution →Properties of two isotopes of neon Isotope Number of protons Number of neutrons Neon-20 10 10 Neon-22 10 12 Based on the data in the table, explain how Neon-20 and Neon-22 differ in terms of their nuclear stability.
Question 10
3 marks · Normal
Answer and see the solution →Explain why adding too many neutrons or too few neutrons to a nucleus can make it unstable.